Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27, 2019 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with the Pakistani jets. Before his jet was hit, he downed a Pakistani F-16 fighter.
The squadron launched counter airstrikes against Risalewala and Chander airfields with immense success despite intense enemy opposition, then at that time.
The Indian Air Force Chief is also a MiG-21 pilot and had flown the planes during the 1999 Kargil war while commanding the 17 Squadron, during the war.
Varthaman became the first IAF pilot to shoot down an F-16 fighter jet during an aerial combat with the Pakistani Air Force.
