"Pakistan trying to escalate again, but India gave befitting reply," says Retired Major Gen Dhruv C Katoch

New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): Retired Indian Army officer Major General Dhruv C Katoch on Friday asserted that Pakistan attempted to escalate tensions with India, but the Indian armed forces responded strongly, including by destroying Lahore's air defence system.
Major General Katoch claimed the actions were part of a desperate move by Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir to protect his position.
Speaking to ANI, Major General Katoch said, "Pakistan is trying to escalate the situation again and again. This is the action taken by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir... he is doing this to save his chair."
"India has given a befitting reply to Pakistan. India's air defence system has shot down the missiles and drones fired by Pakistan... we have destroyed Lahore's air defence system," Major General Katoch further added.
Major General Katoch's remarks came after the tension between India and Pakistan across the border.
On Thursday, the former Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Shirish Baban Deo (Retd), praised the Indian Air Force's (IAF) recent use of the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra missile system, which was used on Thursday night to stop targets moving toward India.
Air Marshal Deo added that the S-400's accuracy is very high, and it can even take down medium-range ballistic missiles.
While speaking to ANI, Air Marshal Deo said, "It is a very capable system, perhaps the most potent system in the world. It's an entire system with three types of radars and three types of missiles, each optimised for specific targets, from low-RCS to high-speed threats. Its single-shot kill probability is extremely high, and it's accurate and effective even against medium-range ballistic missiles."
About the Harpy drone, Air Marshal said, "Additionally, we have drones like the Harpy, which are anti-radiation drones equipped with seekers that detect active radars. Once a radar is switched on, the drone homes in on it and destroys it, even if it is later turned off. These drones can loiter in the area for 10 to 12 hours and have a video link, allowing operators to monitor their movement and strike precisely when needed. Overall, this makes the system extremely effective in neutralising enemy air defences." (ANI)