‘India will stand like a rock’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indians yesterday to “stand as a wall” with anger boiling over Pakistan’s capture of a pilot as a crisis escalates between the nuclear-armed rivals. In his first remarks since India and Pakistan both claimed to have shot down each other’s fighter planes near the disputed border of Kashmir, the prime minister urged his countrymen to unite “as the enemy seeks to destabilise India”. “In the face of their objective, every Indian should stand as a wall, as a rock,” Modi said. “The entire country is one today and standing with our soldiers.

The world is looking at our collective will and we have faith in our forces’ capacity. “India will live as one. India will work as one. India will grow as one. India will fight as one. India will win as one.” Modi did not mention Pakistan by name during the address to party workers. New Delhi said it lost one fighter jet and a pilot was missing in action, later confirming he was in Pakistani custody. India also downed a Pakistani jet, the foreign ministry said.

Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian jets and denied it lost any aircraft in the dogfight. Islamabad said its incursion across the heavily militarised border was in response to Indian warplanes bombing Balakot, well inside its territory, on February 26. New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad for the attack, and hit what it called a training camp for the militants in its aerial raid 12 days later.

Escalating crisis

Footage of the airman identified as Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman being beaten and interrogated has gone viral in India and Pakistan, and humanised an escalating crisis between the nuclear-armed foes. Abhinandan’s experience -- broadcast in a series of graphic videos on social media -- was condemned as “vulgar” by New Delhi and provoked prayers and appeals from Bollywood stars for his safe return. But it was well received in Pakistan, with citizens praising soldiers for rescuing him from angry civilians and then treating him humanely and with courtesy.

One video purports to show the pilot being dragged and beaten by what appears to be a group of men as Pakistani soldiers intervene, shouting “Stop! Stop!” Later, a separate shaky clip showed the bloodied and blindfolded pilot being interrogated by his captors, with the camera focussing on his name “ABHI” underneath winged insignia on his shoulder. But it was his later appearance sipping tea, his face swollen and sporting bruises but otherwise collected and calm, that was most seized upon in both India and Pakistan.

In it, he thanks the “thorough gentlemen” who rescued him from the mob and compliments the tea as “fantastic”. “This is what I would expect my army to behave as, and I’m very impressed by the Pakistani army,” he said, his eye visibly swollen above an impressive handle bar moustache. It was unclear if he had been coerced to speak.

‘Calm and resilience’

That video was widely shown on Pakistani television channels, with still images from it used on the front page of many newspapers. But none of the footage was broadcast on Indian media, with the Times of India saying it was making “a conscious decision” not to use the images. On social media however, #GivebackAbhinandan and #Abhinandanmyhero wa s quickly trending on Twitter where his stoic performance elevated him to national hero status.

His polite refusal to proffer more details than necessary -- “I am sorry Major, I am not supposed to tell you this” -- evoked particular commendation. “Such calm and resilience in the face of adversity. Prayers for our brave pilot #AbhinandanVarthaman,” tweeted Bollywood celebrity Emraan Hashmi.