Wg Cdr Abhinandan to undergo fitness test for resuming flying operations

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a PAF F-16 during a dogfight in February this year, will soon undergo a medical fitness test for resuming his flying operations, sources in the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on Thursday.

The officer was taken off flying duties due to injuries sustained after ejecting from his MiG-21 during the fight with Pakistan on February 27.

On March 4, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa had said that he will fly a fighter jet only if he is declared fit.

"Whether he flies again or not depends upon his medical fitness. Post-ejection, he has undergone a medical check. Whatever treatment is required, we will give it to him. Once he gets the medical fitness, he will get into fighter cockpit," Dhanoa had said.

"If he is fit to fly a fighter, then he will go back soon. If he is not fit to fly, he will become a low medical category till the time he gets his currency. He will then go back when he gets his fighter currency back," he had added.

On February 27, Abhinandan, while piloting a Mig-21 Bison, had shot down a much advanced F-16 fighter jet of the Pakist Air Force (PAF) during a dogfight which erupted after the PAF attempted to carry out an attack on Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack was thwarted by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Abhinandan's Mig-21 Bison plane also got hit during the dogfight, forcing him to eject. However, his parachute landed in PoK and he was taken captive by the Pakist Army.

Under pressure from India and the international community, Pakistan released him and the IAF pilot returned to India on March 1.

( With inputs from ANI )