New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of IAF who shot down a PAF F-16 during a dogfight on February 27 earlier this year, flew MiG-21 Bison aircraft over the 87^th Air Force Day parade today at Hindon Air Base.

Three Mirage 2000 aircraft and two Su-30MKI fighter aircraft also flew in 'Avenger formation'. The planes are being flown by pilots who took part in Balakot airstrike. Air Fighter Pilots who took part in Balakot air strikes were included in the parade as a mark of tribute to the teams which carried out the strike on February 26 and thwarted the Pakistani aerial attack on February 27.