Pakistan Air Force's F-16 shot down in J-K's Rajouri sector after it violates Indian airspace

A Pakistani Air Force F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Indian air defence forces in Rajouri sector of Jammu region on Wednesday morning after they violated Indian airspace, officials said.

The aircraft was brought down in Jhangar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector, officials in the Army said.

Pakistani fighter jets in the morning violated Indian air space in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Nowshera sectors but were pushed back by Indian aircraft, senior officials said. 

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The Pakistani jets dropped bombs while returning, officials said. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

"The jets entered Indian air space over Nowshera and Poonch sectors this morning," officials said. They were immediately pushed back by Indian jets on air patrol. 

Pakistan claimed that its jets crossed the Line of Control to undertake strikes in India for "self defence". 

The skies above New Delhi were vacated as nine airports in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab were closed for civilian air traffic on a day of rapidly escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was holding a high level meeting to assess the security situation in the wake of the developments of the morning, including Pakistan claiming that it had shot down two Indian military jets and arrested two pilots.

(With PTI inputs)