On the third anniversary of Operation Swift Retort, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that Pakistan was "resolute and unwavering" in its commitment to national security.

On February 27, 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had shot down two Indian planes that had violated Pakistani airspace. One of the Indian pilots was captured by Pakistan, but was later handed over as a gesture of peace.

"I have always believed in conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. That should never be taken as a sign of weakness," the premier said on Twitter.

"As we showed India on Feb 27, 2019, when it chose to attack us, our armed forces backed by the nation will respond to military aggression and prevail at all levels," he added.

"We are resolute and unwavering in our commitment to the security of our country and our nation," he said.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said today marked the third anniversary of Operation Swift Retort when Pakistan's armed forces gave a befitting response to "Indian failed misadventure".

"Achievements of PAF in shooting down two Indian fighter ac, detection of Indian submarine at sea by Pak Navy and resounding response at Line of Control by Pak Army are [a] testament to professionalism and determination of Pakistan armed forces for [the] defence of [the] motherland," he said.

"Not just weapons or numbers, but [the] resolve of a nation and [the] operational preparedness of armed forces defines success in face of adversity," he concluded.

How it unfolded

The epicentre of the Pakistan-India escalation was an attack in occupied Kashmir's Pulwama on Feb 14, 2019, in which more than 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed.

The attack, surpassing one in 2016 when 19 soldiers died, saw explosives packed inside a van rip through buses in a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying some 2,500 members of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force.

Two blue buses carrying around 35 people each bore the brunt of the explosion around 20 kilometres from the main city of Srinagar on the main highway towards Jammu.

The next day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country would give a “strong response” to the Pulwama attack.

The "blood of the people is boiling" and forces behind the act of terrorism will be definitely be punished, he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Modi didn't name Pakistan but went on to say: "If our neighbour, which is totally isolated in the world and thinks it can destabilise India through its tactics and conspiracies, then it is making a huge mistake".

The situation heated up when Indian military planes violated the Line of Control, intruding from the Muzaffarabad sector. "Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled" and Indian aircraft went back, the ISPR had said in a statement.

The intrusion in Pakistani airspace by Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft had happened for a second consecutive day, as one of its planes had to release payloads in the Balakot area while being chased away in the early hours of the day. The Pakistan military spokesman had then promised “surprise” for India in response to the IAF aggression.

A day later, the IAF jets entered Pakistani airspace after the PAF strikes on the other side of the LoC from Pakistani airspace for, what the Foreign Office and Army had described as, a demonstration of Pakistan’s “right, will and capability for self-defence”.

The PAF strikes across the LoC were first announced by then FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal via a tweet. “PAF undertook strikes across LoC from Pakistani airspace. The sole purpose of this action was to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self-defence. We do not wish to escalate but are fully prepared if forced into that paradigm,” he had tweeted.

Also read: Mischaracterisation of Balakot air strike hurt India's image: study

Shortly afterwards, the then Pakistan military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor announced the shooting down of IAF aircraft. He had tweeted, “IAF crossed LoC” after the PAF strikes in India-occupied Kashmir (IOK).

“PAF shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJK while the other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on the ground while two in the area,” he had stated.