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Chinese Spy Balloons Discussed by India-US
On Monday, a senior US military official stated that the US had discussed with India its approach to countering the threat of a Chinese spy balloon that entered its airspace earlier this year. The discussions were private and held with several air chiefs in the region.
US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kenneth Wilsbach, who is currently in India for Cope India 23, a bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force and the US Air Force, confirmed that the discussions were behind closed doors and not publicly made. He further explained that the information shared during these discussions was not significant.
The incident in question occurred earlier this year when the US military used an AIM-9X missile to shoot down a balloon from an F-22 fighter jet. A similar sighting had occurred over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands a year ago, leading the Indian military to create protocols to deal with such potential threats.
General Wilsbach refused to share any information gleaned from the analysis of the balloon's debris but emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty of other nations' airspace. He added that any nation violating another country's airspace should cause concern.
He also spoke about the ongoing Cope India 23 exercise, highlighting the participation of two B-1 long-range bombers of the US Air Force for the first time. The US Air Force is deploying four to six F-15 fighters, one C-17, and two C-130s for the exercise, with the bombers being unique platforms that can carry a significant payload.