Three months after the May 7th air battle, India began to celebrate wildly, with heavy rewards for the Air Force, including for the dead.
Before his Independence Day speech, the Indian President Murmu once again announced a series of wartime honors, focusing on the three military services involved in the Crimson Action.
From the Air Force to the Army and then to the Border Security Forces, almost all participating units had officers or soldiers awarded.
The number and scope of these awards are quite rare, amounting to a national celebration.
Three months have passed since the May 7th air battle, but India is still immersed in the atmosphere of "victory", transforming all sacrifices and costs into celebrations and glory.
From the list of honors released, the Indian Air Force was the biggest beneficiary.
The Air Force not only had four generals receiving the highest campaign service medal, but also nine pilots were awarded the Vir Chakra medal.
These pilots mainly carried out precise strike missions against Pakistani terrorist camps and military facilities, which Indian media described as "the key force that turned the tide". At the same time, the Air Force also emphasized that "the S-400 air defense system shot down a Pakistani fighter jet," creating the "longest air defense kill record in history."
Such promotional expressions have made the Air Force appear as national heroes in the eyes of the public, while the crucial fact of the downed aircraft seems to have never happened.
Regarding the Army, two chief military officials received the highest campaign service medal, and many officers and soldiers from the artillery and infantry were awarded the Vir Chakra medal and Army medals. Even short-term new recruits of the Agni Project received the award of bravery for the first time.
Frontline soldiers of the Border Security Forces who were killed or injured in mortar bombings and drone attacks were also posthumously awarded or given the bravery medal.
In official discourse, the focus is on staying at their posts and being fearless of death, but few people ask why the losses were so severe.
India's practice of celebrating for three months is essentially a funeral being treated as a festival.
The problem is that the more loudly they celebrate, the more it shows their lack of confidence.
Sacrifices and losses are real, and using medals to replace reflection will eventually make the outside world think that India is just showing off.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840495765894217/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.