India tells Russia how MiG 21 helped in destroying Jaish camps in Pakistan

Feb 2 (AZINS) India has highlighted to Russia how MiG 21 supplied by it helped the Indian airforce bring down a Pakistani F16. In an interview to Russia's international news agency-- RIA Novosti, Indian Ambassador to Russia, Bala Venkatesh Varma said,  "India was forced to defend its interests, including through the use of MiG-21 fighter aircraft supplied by Russia, which brought down the Pakistani F-16."

In response to India counter-terrorism operation in Pakistan on Tuesday, Islamabad launched a large-scale Air Force raid in the Indian airspace. The Pakistani operation was aimed at Indian military installation.

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down Pakistan air force's F16. In the air combat, Abhinandan's MiG 21 Bison was shot down and he was captured. MiG-21 Bison is a single engine, single seater multirole fighter aircraft of Russian origin and forms the back-bone of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

India is the largest operator of MiG 21 and got it from the Soviet Union. MiG 21 also played an important role in the 1971 India Pakistan war.The ambassador also clarified that there is no Russian offer of mediation between India and Pakistan and even if Moscow proposes one, New Delhi will not accept it.Varma said, "I want to emphasize that we did not receive a formal offer of mediation. And even we do, we will not accept it. So far, no country has offered to mediate in resolving the conflict."

Pakistan foreign office is a statement on Friday said in a call by Pakistani foriegn minister SM Qureshi to Russian foriegn minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow had proposed to mediate between India and Pakistan.Varma, in the interview, thanked Moscow for its support to a proposal last week to list jaish e mohammad (JeM) chief as an international terrorist under the United Nations Security Council 1267 committee.

Russian president Vladimir Putin had spoken to PM Modi on Thursday in which Putin had expressed his deep condolences on the Pulwama terror attack and conveyed his solidarity with New Delhi in its fight against terrorism. President Putin also invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok later this year. This is for the second time this year, PM Modi and President Putin spoke to each other.