Abhinandan Varthaman gets promoted as group captain

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani fighter jet plane in February 2019 and was taken hostage for three days, has been promoted to Group Captain, according to official sources. 

The rank has been approved, and Abhinandan Varthaman will be promoted after procedure has been followed. The sources explained that after receiving a new rank, an officer can wear it if there is a vacancy for the position.

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When a large Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft package was detected moving towards the Line of Control in February 2019, Abhinandan Varthaman was assigned to a MiG-21 Bison squadron on ‘operational readiness platform’ duty at air force station Srinagar. Advanced beyond visible range (BVR) air-to-air missiles and sophisticated air-to-ground stand-off weapons were deployed by the hostile jets. 

Wing Commander Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan after his MiG-21 was shot down, was the most visible face of the confrontation.  He scrambled to intercept the Pakistani package five minutes after it was found.

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“Displaying exceptional air combat acumen and knowledge of the enemy’s tactics, Abhinandan scanned the low altitude airspace with his airborne intercept (AI) radar and picked up an enemy aircraft that was flying low to ambush the Indian fighter interceptor aircraft… Abhinandan alerted the other formation pilots towards this surprise threat,” the citation said.

“He then consolidated the riposte, by gathering his wingman in an offensive formation against the hostile Pakistani aircraft now dropping weapons on Indian Army positions. This audacious and aggressive manoeuvre forced the enemy aircraft into tactical chaos,” it further said.

According to the citation, the wing commander followed a retreating enemy fighter bomber aircraft and shot down an F-16 in the ensuing aerial combat. “However, in the melee, one of the enemy aircraft fired multiple advanced BVR missiles, one of which hit his aircraft, forcing him to eject in enemy territory,” it said.