Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force who shot down a Pakistan air force F-16 during a dogfight on February 27 earlier this year, flew a MiG-21 Bison aircraft during the Air Force Day parade at Hindon Air Base.
Three Mirage 2000 aircraft and two Su-30MKI fighter aircraft also flew in the 'Avenger formation'. The planes are being flown by pilots who took part in Balakot airstrike.
Here are highlights from the parade.
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf10.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Indian Air Force officers, who participated in Balakot airstrike, fly 3 Mirage 2000 aircrafts and 2 Su-30 MKI fighter planes in ‘Avenger formation’, during the 87th Indian Air Force Day Parade, at Hindon airbase, in Ghaziabad. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf12.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman leads a MiG formation while flying an MiG Bison aircraft, during the 87th Indian Air Force Day Parade. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
WATCH: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in his MiG 21 Bison at the parade
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf3.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Tejas at the 87th Indian Air Force Day parade. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf6.jpg?w=670&h=900)
IAF aircraft Tejas performs during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf7.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Tejas performs as an Apache helicopter is seen parked in the foreground. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf4.jpg?w=670&h=900)
IAF helicopters Sarang perform during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf8.jpg?w=670&h=900)
IAF's newly-inducted Apache helicopters take to the skies. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf1.jpg?w=670&h=900)
IAF's CH-47 Chinook during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf9.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Viewers watch the newly-inducted IAF helicopters Chiknook as they perform during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations at Hindon Airbase, in Ghaziabad. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf11.jpg?w=670&h=900)
A C-17 Globemaster III and two Sukhoi Su-30MKI planes flypast in a formation. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf13.jpg?w=670&h=900)
IAF soldiers march during the Indian Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force Station. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf14.jpg?w=670&h=900)
The "Suryakiran" jet trainers perform during the Indian Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force Station. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf15.jpg?w=670&h=900)
The Sarang helicopter team performs during the celebrations. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
![](//im.rediff.com/news/2019/oct/08iaf2.jpg?w=670&h=900)
Indian Air Force's Akash Ganga team demonstrate their skills. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo