September 01, 2026 06:33 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
‘Dismantle entire terror ecosystem’: Modi’s strong message at SCO Summit in Shehbaz’s presence | Modi’s big appeal after 7.8% GDP growth: ‘Don’t travel abroad, avoid destination weddings’ | Modi-Pezeshkian talks: Iran seeks India’s 'extensive contacts' to end West Asia war | Indus Waters Treaty row: India rejects Hague court order, says ‘no jurisdiction’ over its sovereign decisions | India beats the odds with 7.8% GDP growth; PM Modi has a message for critics | PM Modi meets Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan | ‘Islam superior to all religions’: Karnataka minister’s remark sparks BJP-Congress war; resignation demand grows | PM Modi meets Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian during SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan | VHP breaks silence on Durga Puja ‘guidelines’: No blanket non-veg ban, clarifies stand on theme pandals amid backlash | No non-veg near pandals, no ‘distorted’ idols: VHP’s Durga Puja guidelines spark Bengal debate

PM Modi welcomes Wing Commander Abhinandan back to India

| @indiablooms | Mar 01, 2019, at 11:08 pm

New Delhi, Mar 1 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman home after he entered the country through Wagah border late on Friday night.

"Welcome Home Wing Commander Abhinandan! The nation is proud of your exemplary courage. Our armed forces are an inspiration for 130 crore Indians. Vande Mataram!" Modi tweeted.

The IAF pilot, who was captured by Pakistan two days ago after he parachuted down from his MiG 21 jet in flames across the LoC, returned to India through the Wagah border a day after Pakistan announced to release the pilot in what it called a peace gesture amid global pressures on the neighbour to conform to international laws like Geneva Conventions.

Abhinandan arrived to a hero's welcome to India with a huge crowd gathered at the Wagah Border,  which lies on the historic Grand Trunk Road between Lahore and Amritsar in India, cheering his return.

The handing over of the IAF pilot to India by Pakistan was delayed by several hours due to "procedural delays". It finally happened well after 9pm.

The daily beating the retreat and band ceremony at the Wagah border was cancelled on Friday with captured Indian Air Force Pilot Abhinandan Varthaman scheduled to be handed over to India here this afternoon. Official formalities, however, delayed the Wing Commander's return.

 


 

#Modi # IAFPilot

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
In Images: PM Modi attends 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek
In Images: PM Modi attends 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek Sep 01, 2026, at 03:50 pm
In Images: PM Modi attends delegation-level talks between India and Uzbekistan in Tashkent
In Images: PM Modi attends delegation-level talks between India and Uzbekistan in Tashkent Aug 30, 2026, at 07:11 pm
In images: Mamata Banerjee ties rakhi on wrists of 'bulldozer-affected' hawkers
In images: Mamata Banerjee ties rakhi on wrists of 'bulldozer-affected' hawkers Aug 29, 2026, at 12:19 am
Related Videos
Ramnami tattoos, music and tech: Chaltabagan's ‘Nishan’ takes Durga Puja global Aug 31, 2026, at 07:59 pm
ABVP-Left student groups clash at Jadavpur University in Kolkata Aug 20, 2026, at 11:09 am
Massive fire broke out at plastic factory in Siliguri. No casualties reported. Aug 19, 2026, at 03:47 pm