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.
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
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
Tejas at the 87th Indian Air Force Day parade. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
IAF aircraft Tejas performs during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
Tejas performs as an Apache helicopter is seen parked in the foreground. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
IAF helicopters Sarang perform during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
IAF's newly-inducted Apache helicopters take to the skies. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
IAF's CH-47 Chinook during the 87th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
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
A C-17 Globemaster III and two Sukhoi Su-30MKI planes flypast in a formation. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
IAF soldiers march during the Indian Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force Station. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
The "Suryakiran" jet trainers perform during the Indian Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Force Station. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
The Sarang helicopter team performs during the celebrations. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
Indian Air Force's Akash Ganga team demonstrate their skills. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
