New Delhi: Former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief B.S. Dhanoa, on Friday (October 30), said that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had been advised by “specialists” against deploying the IAF during the Indo-China conflict in 1962.The former Air Chief Marshal said, “It is not right to just blame Nehru for the decision,” as quoted by The Tribune.The decision to not use the IAF in an offensive role, often attributed to Nehru, has been been a strong point of contention for decades, with several critics citing the large number security personnel who were martyred in the war. Multiple former and current army personnel, including former chief of defence staff Anil Chauhan, have claimed that the exclusion of the IAF cost India the 1962 war.Restricting the IAF to tactical missions only, with no offensive operations, has been explained as a strategic decision to prevent an escalation of war.US Ambassador to India, J.K. Galbraith, had advised against the move as Indian aircrafts at the time were only capable of reaching till Tibet, while Chinese bombers were much more advanced and dangerous.Intelligence Bureau director B.N. Mullik also mentioned in his memoir that Chinese aircrafts could potentially “penetrate as far South as Madras”, especially as India did not have night receptors then.Dhanoa, speaking at the Indian Military Heritage Festival organised by United Service Institution of India, observed, “We know about Group HC Dewan’s note in which he wrote against using the IAF in jungles as they may not be effective.”He added, “If specialists were advising, I don’t think it’s right to just blame him [Nehru].”