“That is all I’m supposed to tell you”: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s composure

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot held by Pakistan, drew praise for his composure and good judgement in captivity. Pakistan said it would release him the following day as a gesture of peace.

How he was captured

According to the IAF, before coming down in Pakistani territory the Wing Commander had been pursuing a Pakistani F-16, which he engaged with an R-73 air-to-air missile. The Pakistani fighter, believed to be a two-seat version of the jet, was shot down. The 34-year-old then had to eject and landed on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, where he was taken prisoner.

The videos

Videos circulated by Pakistani accounts showed him blindfolded and injured; one showed him being dragged. In them he gave only his name, service number and religion, and at one point asked his questioner whether he was in the custody of the Pakistani Army: “Am I with the Pakistani Army?” The clips were removed as Pakistan faced accusations of breaching the Geneva Convention. India condemned the display of an injured IAF officer as a violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention.

A third video, which surfaced in the evening, showed him drinking tea, with his injuries looking less serious. Asked about his treatment, he said Pakistani army officers had looked after him well, including a captain who had protected him from a crowd, and that he would not change that account after returning home.

When asked where in India he came from and whether he was married, he again questioned whether he was expected to answer, and said only: “I am from down South.” He politely declined to say which aircraft he had been flying or what his mission was, telling the interviewer that he was not supposed to reveal it.

What happened next

Pakistan returned Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on 1 March 2019. The confrontation had followed the Pulwama attack of 14 February 2019 and the IAF strike at Balakot on 26 February 2019.

See also: more news

Originally published on 1 March 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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