JAM Topic - ABHINANDHAN VARTHAMAN IAF -Wing Commander

In the early hours on 26 Feb. 2019 IAF confirmed the air strike in which Wing commando abhinanadhan piloted MIG-21 Bison shot down a Pakistani aircraft F-16 in dogfight (A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft, conducted at close range.), and dropped 4 bombs on hilltop of balakot were terrorist troops  of Jaish-e-Mohammad located within Pakistan. on 27 Feb. 2019 abhinanadhan varthamans plane lost communication after radio system got jammed during the dogfight. his aircraft was shot down by Pakistani air force,  he was held captive for 60 hours in Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight. He was conferred the Vir Chakra gallantry award in August 2019.

IN DETAIL :

1. Who is abhinanadhan varthaman ?

* Abhinanadhan Varthaman  (born 21 June 1983) is an Indian Air Force officer (Wing Commander) .  In the 2019 India-Pakistan standoff, he was held captive for 60 hours in Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight.  He was conferred the Vir Chakra gallantry (3rd highest gallantry award presented for act of gallantry in the presence of enemy in the battle field) award in August 2019 (For shot downing a PAF (Pakistani air force) aircraft F-16) .

* awards -  top 1st  ashok chakra

                        2nd param veer chakra

                        3rd veer chakra ( he was awarded this 3rd gallantry award )

* Wing commander - it is a senior commissioned rank in IAF (Indian Air Force)

2. What happened on 26 Feb. 2019 ?

*  On 26 February 2019, India confirmed the airstrike on hilltop of balakot in Pakistan,  stating that the Indian Air Force conducted them in retaliation to the Pulwama attack (which is happened earlier on 14.Feb.2019 in Pulwama city of Jammu and Kashmir main cause is terrorist attack from Jaish-e-Mohammed which resulted in the deaths of 40 Indian CRPF soldiers). The strikes were subsequently claimed to be "non-military" and "preemptive'' in nature; targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed (a terrorist group of Pakistan) facility within Pakistan.

*in the early hours on 26 Feb. 2019 IAF confirmed the air strike in which Wing commando abhinanadhan piloted MIG-21 Bison shot down a Pakistani aircraft F-16 in dogfight (A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft, conducted at close range.), and dropped 4 bombs on hilltop of balakot were terrorist troops  of Jaish-e-Mohammad located within Pakistan. on 27 Feb. 2019 abhinanadhan varthamans plane lost communication after radio system got jammed during the dogfight. his aircraft was shot down by Pakistani air force,  he was held captive for 60 hours in Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight. He was conferred the Vir Chakra gallantry award in August 2019.

* Many countries like Australia, U.S, France China etc., noted its condemnation of Pulwama attack and asked Pakistan to crack down on terrorists Operating from its soil and adopt actions that will help stabilize the situation in the region and improve mutual relations.

3. what is Geneva convention ?

* The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war.

* The Geneva Conventions extensively defined the basic rights of wartime prisoners (civilians and military personnel), established protections for the wounded and sick, and established protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone.

* Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Abhinanadhan Varthaman, in Pakistani custody after his plane was shot down on Wednesday, will be governed under the Geneva Convention of 1929. wil be released as fast as possible under POW's(Prisoners of war) of Geneva convention 1929.

* On 28 February 2019, Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan announced at a joint sitting of the Parliament of Pakistan that the government had decided to release Abhinanadhan the next day as a "gesture of peace".

** MIG-21 aircraft - founder - (Mikhail Gurevich ) - Russian -  Aircraft used by IAF(Indian)

            The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Russian) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union ( Russia).

            The MiG-21 was the first fighter jet to achieve supersonic speed of Mach 1.05 (1300  kmph) and still operates at the same speed. The range is 1470 km at 10 km altitude. The Bison can carry rockets, air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface missiles and bombs

**F-16 aircraft -  founder - (Lockheed martin) - U.s - Aircraft used by PAF(Pakistani)

            The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine supersonic multi role fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics (its aviation unit is now part of Lockheed Martin) for the United States Air Force (USAF).

Other points -

* "There is only one pilot under Pakistan Army's custody. Wing Commander  Abhinanadhan is being treated as per norms of military ethics," Pakistani military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Twitter as tension between the two countries escalated.

The rules specify that POW's must be treated humanely in a ..

"Their detention is not a form of punishment, but only aims to prevent further participation in the conflict. They must be released and repatriated without delay after the end of hostilities. The detaining power may prosecute them for possible war crimes, but not for acts of violence that are lawful under International Humanitarian Law," it says.