What is the situation now?

The day after, one Indian Air Force Mig-21 'Bison' pilot is in Pakistan's custody. India calls it "missing pilot" while Pakistan claims "he is in Pakistan's custody." India also claims that a Pakistani F-16 was shot down. Whatever, a war-like situation prevails in the subcontinent following the aerial dogfights in the Rajouri-Nowshera sector.

What is disconcerting is the Government of India is making "very short statements" and "not taking questions." The messaging while "loud and clear" is not that alleviating for the Indian masses. The terse and short message also does not give any idea whether the situation will escalate or not. The government, however, did say that Pak aircraft violated Indian airspace to "target military installations."

That said, all commercial flights across north India had stood cancelled. The military has reportedly taken over highways. Air Force airbases are on high alert. This, even as the Modi Government for the most part of the day kept silent following Pakistani claims "two Indian pilots", whose fighter-jet was allegedly "shot down in Azad Kashmir", were in Pakistan's custody.

Pakistan also denied Indian media reports that the fighter-jet shot down in POK was a Pakistani F-16. Pakistan Army's DGISPR Maj. Gen. Ghafoor himself announced this at a press conference even as the Government of India neither refuted nor corroborated the Pakistani claims. Pakistani media, in fact, put out videos of a "captured" Indian pilot and even named him with "rank and number."

In the absence of an Indian denial or confirmation, Pakistanis seemed to be getting away with the propaganda war, which started Wednesday morning with reports of Indian and Pakistani fighter jets reportedly engaged in dogfights over the LOC. Soon, pictures of a chopper crash in Budgam in Jammu & Kashmir took over TV screens.

Pakistani media immediately claimed its F-16s had shot down two IAF fighter-jets; that one fell in POK, the other in Budgam. Pakistani media went one step further claiming an Indian Air Force pilot was "captured." Pakistan Army's Director-General ISPR Maj. Gen. Ghafoor tweeted the "fake news."

Indian media countered, saying a Pakistani F-16 has been shot down; that it fell in POK and the pilot was seen ejecting. And that Pakistan was using the picture of an old Indian MIG crash and dressing it up to show as if an "IAF aircraft was shot down by a Pakistani F-16." The reality is that "aircraft" that crashed in Budgam was that of a Mi-17 chopper killing over four IAF personnel.

News also percolated that Pakistani fighter-jets dropped "payloads" on the Indian side of the LOC. None of this was confirmed by the Government of India. Sources, however, said all Indian pilots have been "accounted for." This, even as Pakistani media kept up the din that "Indian Air Force pilots" were in Pakistani custody. Also, that the "great nation of Pakistan" had delivered the "surprise" it had promised it had in store for India.

By 1 pm, Pakistan media were circulating the picture of Wing Commander Vijay Shelke, whose Surya Kiran aircraft was one of two Surya Kirans which crashed in the recent Bangalore Air Show, as that of the "captured" Indian Air Force pilot whose jet-fighter was "brought down in POK by the Pak Air Force."

This apart, airspace across north India has been vacated. All domestic flights northwards from Delhi stood cancelled. All Air Force bases were on high alert. For all purposes, it was a war-like situation developing on both sides of the border. But unlike in Pakistan, where the authorities were "seen" to be acting and talking, the complete silence on the Indian side was alarming and shocking.

No denial, no confirmation meant only speculation for most part of the day. The very fact that Pakistani aircraft managed to enter Indian airspace itself called for some clarification. This after the bragging of the day before following "surgical strike 2" Reports of a meeting of a high-security meeting at the Prime Minister's residence did not clear the air. The Government of India's stoic silence was not only telling but also shocking for many.

To reiterate, the Government of India's silence on Pakistani reports of two IAF pilots "captured" for a long time

was inexcusable. It should have come out immediately and denied Pakistan bragging rights.

(The views expressed are strictly personal)