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New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, reached India on Friday, two days after he was captured by Pakistani authorities.

Varthaman was captured by Pakistan after his Mig-21 Bison was shot down by a Pakistani jet during a fierce dogfight on Wednesday. The Indian defence establishment was also mulling sending a special aircraft to Pakistan, the sources said.

The IAF pilot's MiG 21 was shot and he bailed out after bringing down one Pakistani F-16 fighter during the dogfight to repel a Pakistani attack on Wednesday morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Friday that every Indian was "proud that the brave" Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was taken captive by Pakistan hails from Tamil Nadu.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan early on Tuesday. It came 12 days after the JeM claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.