Pakistan is celebrating the sixth anniversary of Operation Swift Retort, where Pakistan shot down two Indian jets in response to India’s violation of Pakistani air space.

On the morning of February 27, Pakistan Air Force’s jets targeted six non-military targets in Indian Occupied Kashmir. As Indian Air Force jets scrambled to respond to Pakistan, dog fights ensued over Kashmir, with Pakistan shooting down two Indian jets as a result.

One of these jets fell in Indian-occupied territory. However, the other aircraft, a MiG-21 was shot down over Azad Kashmir and its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured. Varthaman was apprehended by locals in Azad Kashmir and eventually handed over to Pakistani authorities.

While, Pakistan shot down Indian jets, an Indian Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by an Indian surface-to-air missile, killing all six IAF officials on board.

Meanwhile in Pakistan, a video of Varthaman sipping tea as he chatted to Pakistani officials went viral, instantly becoming an internet sensation that would last for years to come.

As Indian officials struggled to find answers to pacify their political constituencies both home and abroad, a claim was floated that a Pakistani F-16 was also shot down in the melee. However, US itself clarified that the Pakistani F-16 fleet was fully intact and no planes had been shot down.

The events of the day finally put an end to Indian claims of Pakistani aggression against India that began with the Pulwama attack two weeks before. India had claimed that the 46 Central Police Reserve Force Personnel it lost were the result of an attack orchestrated by Pakistan. It had then gone on to make airstrikes in Balakot in Pakistan, claiming to hit terrorist training camps. As the dust cleared however, it was clear that only some trees had been damaged by India’s strikes.

The event also demonstrated that while Pakistan was not just willing to respond to respond to claims of sponsoring terrorism made by India on the diplomatic front, but was actually willing to fight to safeguard its territory.