Minty Agarwal, Squadron Leader, IAF who operated as flight controller during Pakistan's retaliation to IAF's Balakot airstrike, spoke about the mission and said that her team was expecting retaliation after the Balakot mission, but due to competency of Indian pilots, controllers and team, their mission was thwarted. While speaking to ANI, Agarwal said, “On 26 Feb we successfully carried out Balakot mission over non-military camps. We were expecting retaliation, we were extra ready and they retaliated in just 24 hours. She added, “We had few aircrafts which were stationed as air defense measure and we subsequently scrambled additional aircrafts to counter them (Pak aircrafts).They came with an intention of destruction but because of competency of our pilots, controllers and team their mission was thwarted.” Minty Agarwal informed that Wing Commander Abhinandan was in “two way communication” with her when he was fighting Pakistani aircrafts. Squadron leader said, “I participated in both the missions on 26th February as well as on 27th February. Wing Commander Abhinandan was in a two way communication with me when he was on air. I was the one who was providing him the air picture.” She added, "F16 was taken down by Wing Commander Abhinandan that was a situation of intense battle. The situation was very flexible. There were multiple aircrafts of enemy and our fighter aircraft were countering them all along the axis."
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