Vir Chakra awardee Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has resumed flying operations. He shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet post-Balakot operations. Indian Air Force officials said on Friday that Varthaman started flying after medical clearance. He is posted as a MiG-21 Bison airbase in the western desert. Varthaman had been grounded due to ejection from his MiG-21 which had shot down in aerial conflict with Pakistan Air Force F-16s. 

He had spent some days in Pakistani custody when his MiG-21 was shot down in a dogfight with PAF jets a day after the February 26 Balakot airstrike. Pakistan released Varthaman on the night of March 1.