Abhinandan Varthaman's 51 Squadron to be awarded unit citation by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's 51 squadrons will be awarded unit citation by Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria for thwarting Pakistani aerial attack and shooting down a Pakistani F-16 on February 27.

The number 9 squadron whose Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft carried out the Balakot aerial strike on February 26 during 'Operation Bandar', will also to be awarded unit citation.

Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal's 601 Signal unit will also be awarded for their role in Balakot aerial strikes and foiling the aerial attack by Pakistan in February.

Wing Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman’s 51 Squadron to be awarded unit citation by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria for thwarting Pakistani aerial attack&shooting down a Pakistani F-16 on Feb 27. Award to be received by commanding officer Group Captain Satish Pawar (file pic) pic.twitter.com/lQjf4dLzT6

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2019

The number 9 squadron whose Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft carried out the Balakot aerial strikes on February 26 during 'Operation Bandar', also to be awarded unit citation. https://t.co/8yL6uWaWa9

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2019

Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft will showcase its power might at the upcoming Indian Air Force Day celebrations to be held at Hindon Air Base on October 8 (Tuesday).

Also Read: Indian Air Force Day 2019: From Chinook to Apache, IAF to showcase its newest acquisitions on October 8

Wing Commnader Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured after his MiG-21 was brought down during the February 27 dogfight with Pakistani Air Force F-16s one of which he shot down, was conferred with Vir Chakra on the 73rd Independence Day.

Varthaman was honoured for displaying exemplary bravery during the aerial conflict that occurred after India carried out an airstrike on Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot to avenge the February 14, 2019, Pulwama suicide bombing.

He was in Pakistani custody for almost 60 hours and was released after India applied pressure on its neighbour.