Live: Indian Air Force Pilot Abhinandan To Be Released Soon At Wagah

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman left for the Wagah Border in a convoy of vehicles, two days after he was captured. Pakistani officials will hand over him to the Indian officials at the Attari-Wagah Border crossing here, according to wire agency PTI.

Former Army Chief Bikram Singh has said that the Balakot strike marks a change in how India deals with terrorism. The message has gone across to Pakistan that India won't acept any more “nonsense”, Singh told BloombergQuint.

Singh added that India shouldn't get carried away by Pakistan's gesture of returning Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan.

Here are key highlights from his interview:

• All elements of national power must be used to maintain the pressure on Pakistan.
• Present government is committed to putting an end to what Pakistan is doing.
• Even on the domestic front, the actions taken by the Home Minister are praiseworthy.
• Asymmetric enemies are far more strong than traditional enemies, since they can merge with the public.
• Taking out these terrorist leaders through surgical operations may not do the job.
• When military does well, governments has to take credit for it. Didn't Congress take credit for 1971?
• But we should refrain from politicising every event related to the military.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that "a few parties" have started hating India even when the entire nation is supporting the armed forces.

“The world is supporting India’s fight against terror but a few parties suspect our fight against terror,” Modi said at a rally in Tamil Nadu.