The >unidentified object which was shot down by the Indian Air Force (IAF) over Barmer on Tuesday was a helium-filled balloon and came across the border from Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.
The U.S.-made balloon, inscribed with ‘happy birthday’, was either being used for commercial or meteorological purposes and likely drifted across the border.
“We will refer the matter to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for further action,” one official said.
When asked if the incident was an attempt to test the country’s defence capabilities, a senior official said, “We picked up the radar cross section as it entered our air space at about 25,000 feet. The whole incident was over in 15 minutes.”
“Our radars picked up a shiny flying object entering our air space. A fighter jet was quickly scrambled which intercepted it and shot it down,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said speaking on the sidelines of a Defence Ministry award ceremony without giving details.
‘No dangerous payload’
The IAF said in a statement that their radar had picked up the “unidentified flying object moving easterly in Jaisalmer Area” and the balloon was about 3 meters in diameter.
“Due to heightened security alert, the balloon was shot down as it would have been carrying unknown payload,” the statement said and added: “However, on analysis of the debris it was established that there was no dangerous payload.”
Being the eve of Republic Day and the heightened threat perception, the Air Force adhered to the Standard Operating Procedure and the object was shot down. In all 97 rounds of bullets were fired by the fighter jet, officials added.
