‘Abhi abhi pilot project pura hua hai, abhi real karna hai’, says PM Modi on Abhinandan’s release

New Delhi, Feb 28: Shortly after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be released, Prime Minister Narendra Modi subtly hinted that a pilot project has been completed, the earlier one was just practice.

Speaking at the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi to felicitate scientists, Modi said,"Aap toh laboratory mein zindagi gujarne wale log hain. Aur aap mein pilot project karne ki parampara hoti hain. Aur pilot project hone ke baad scaleable kiya jata hain. Toh abhi abhi ek pilot project ho gaya hain. Abhi real karna hain... Pehle toh practice thi (You spend your lives in a laboratory. And there is a tradition of carrying out pilot project... A pilot project is made scaleable after completion. So one pilot project has been completed. The earlier one was just practice)."

Modi's comments cam after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a joint session of the country's Parliament, announced the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan, the IAF pilot in Pakistan's captivity.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan had claimed it shot down two Indian fighter jets over Pakistani air space and arrested a pilot amid the face off between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs later confirmed that a MiG 21 was lost and the pilot "missing in action".