India-Pak LIVE: Pakistani FM boycotting OIC meet over invitation to Sushma

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he had decided to send the IAF pilot back in the interest of peace. Catch LIVE updates on India-Pakistan conflict

11:30 AM

11:13 AM

Why Pakistan denied using F16s against India

The US sale of the Lockheed Martin Corp. jets to Pakistan mandates that they be flown only for counter-terrorism operations, according to Rahul Bedi, a New Delhi-based analyst with Janes Information Services. The planes can’t be used against any other country, he said.

11:10 AM

China cancels all flights to and from Pakistan in view of Indo-Pak tensions

China has cancelled all flights to and from Pakistan and rerouted its international aircraft flying over the Pakistani airspace due to the regional tensions, official media here reported on Friday.

 

The closure of Pakistan's airspace in response to escalating tensions with India disrupted major routes between Europe and South East Asia and left thousands of air travellers stranded worldwide.

 

Flights from the Middle East that usually overfly Pakistan and the Pakistan-India border will have to re-route over India, Myanmar or central Asia to enter China, civil aviation experts told Global Times.

11:08 AM

BJP has never politicised national security issue: Amit Shah

11:04 AM

Yeddyurappa's comment was an analysis of the situation, but he should not have said so: Amit Shah

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa was criticised over his comment that that India's air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan on Tuesday has created a wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will help the party win over 22 of 28 seats in the state in the national election due by May.

10:59 AM

Maximum number of terrorists have been eliminated under BJP govt led by Modi, said Amit Shah.

Maximum number of terrorists have been eliminated under BJP govt led by Modi, said Amit Shah.

10:59 AM

Track record of our govt has been best in dealing with terror since Independence: Amit Shah

10:56 AM

Why has Imran Khan not condemned Pulwama attack, asks Amit Shah

10:48 AM

UN chief welcomes Pakistan's offer to release IAF pilot

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed Pakistan's offer to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured when his MiG-21 went down in Pakistan-occupied territory. His Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters: "The report of the release of the Indian pilot by the Pakistani authorities would be very much a welcome step. We would encourage both parties to do whatever they can to de-escalate the situation." Guterres has been in contact with both sides at various levels, Dujarric said.

10:47 AM

After airstrikes, terrorists now know India will give a response: Amit Shah

10:22 AM

Abhinandan's parents, Air Marshal S Varthaman (Retired) and mother Shobha Varthaman, who is a doctor, were cheered by passengers when they boarded a flight from Chennai to New Delhi on Thursday evening

10:21 AM

Scores of people assemble in Attari to welcome IAF pilot

People started arriving in Attari, around 30 km from Sikh holy city of Amritsar, since 6 am. The numbers swelled by 9 am, according to IANS.

 

"We have come here to welcome our country's hero back home. We will give him a grand welcome. He showed a lot of bravery in the air combat and even after being captured by the Pakistanis," Jitender, a resident of Amritsar, who arrived here with his friends, said.

10:10 AM

“India is the last country in the world with a serious airforce to still fly the MiG 21s,” Pushpinder Singh, founding editor of the Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review, told IndiaSpend. “The poor young man who flew the aircraft against an F-16 didn’t stand a chance… [He] is now a prisoner of war and it is a national shame that in 2019 we are still flying these planes.”...Read on

10:09 AM

"The MiG-21 Bison that Abhinandan Varthaman was flying when he was downed by a Pakistan Air Force F-16 was well past its retirement age"

The MiG-21 Bison that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was flying when he was downed by a Pakistan Air Force F-16 was well past its retirement age, and kept alive with repeated upgrades and service life extensions, experts told IndiaSpend.

9:51 AM

Air Canada resumes flights to India after brief suspension

Air Canada, which had temporarily suspended its India flights, has now announced to resume it.

 

Flights to Delhi will resume tonight from both Toronto (AC 42 February 28) and Vancouver (AC 44 March 1, it leaves shortly after midnight local time).

 

"Our flexible rebooking policy for customers remains in place. Information will be updated on the official Air Canada website as it becomes available. We are working to move all customers from yesterday," Canada's flag carrier said in a statement.

 

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Air Canada had temporarily suspended its flight services to India, following a decision by the Pakistan government to close its airspace.

 

Air Canada cancelled one flight to New Delhi from Vancouver, while another flight en route to India was turned back to Toronto.

 

Air Canada operates daily service from Toronto and Vancouver to New Delhi and four times weekly between Toronto and Mumbai.