Indian PM Modi speaks to flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchaar

10/02/2026

New Delhi, Oct. 2: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind during a mid-air emergency aboard a flydubai flight, saying the Indian pilot’s actions helped avert a tragedy on the scale of the 9/11 attacks.

In a post on X, Mr. Modi said Mr. Machchhar “showed the world the highest form of courage” by confronting the danger despite risking his own life. The Prime Minister also said that 140 crore Indians were saluting the captain and praying for his well-being.

 

Captain Smit Machchhar has shown the world the highest form of courage.

Without fearing for his own life, he fought valiantly and prevented another 9/11 like attack from happening. 

140 crore Indians salute Captain Smit and are praying for his well-being. pic.twitter.com/YGTA9CFCAg-

Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2026 

Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene before the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s bravery, with Modi comparing his actions to averting ‘another 9/11’.-Agencies

 

Related News

India at COP26 says its solar energy capacity increased 17 times in 7 years; now at 45 GW

Glasgow, Nov. 8: India on Sunday told the UN climate summit here that its solar energy capacity stands at about 45 gigawatts after it increased 17 times in the last seven years, asserting that although the country represents 17 per cent of the global population, its historical cumulative emissions are…

more

WHO, UNICEF launch Afghan polio vaccine campaign with Taliban backing

Kabul, Nov. 8: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations children’s agency kicked off a polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan on Monday, the first nationwide campaign to fight the disease in three years. Naikwali Shah Momim, the National Emergency Operations Coordinator for the polio programme at Afghanistan’s health…

more

Germany’s infection rate hits new high

Berlin, Nov. 9: Germany's coronavirus infection rate climbed to its highest recorded level yet on Monday as what officials have called a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” gathers pace. The national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute, said the country has seen 201.1 new cases per 1,00,000 residents over the…

more

Fumio Kishida reelected Japan PM in parliamentary vote

Tokyo, Nov.10: Fumio Kishida was re-elected as Japan's PM on Wednesday after his governing party scored a major victory in key parliamentary elections. Elected just over a month ago by parliament, Kishida called a quick election in which his Liberal Democratic Party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house,…

more

'Well that was a bedtime fail': New Zealand PM's daughter gatecrashes livestream

New Zealand, Nov. 11: A tiny gatecrasher twice grabbed centre stage from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she updated the nation on curbs being enforced to combat Covid-19. "You're meant to be in bed, darling ... Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second,"…

more

German leader Merkel says people have duty to get vaccinated

Wellington, Nov. 12: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that people have a duty to get vaccinated against the coronavirus to protect others. She spoke as Germany grapples with a new surge of infections, which reached a record daily high of 50,000 on Thursday. Merkel talked for 30 minutes with…

more

Video

Find Us on Facebook

From Social

Tehran, June 21: As India presses ahead with Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran amid intensifying hostilities in the Middle East, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has announced that, upon formal requests from the governments of Nepal and Sri…

India to evacuate Nepalese, Sri Lankan nationals from Iran amid escalating tensions    

Kathmandu, Nov. 24: The joint training exercise "SURYA KIRAN-XVII" of Nepali Army and Indian Army is starting from 24 November 2023 in Pithoragarh, India. The Nepalese army team that will participate in the exercise, which will be attended by the…

Nepal-India Joint Military Training Excerise Surya Kiran Begin Today    

New Delhi, May 5: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the guest of honour for this year’s Bastille Day Parade in Paris scheduled to take place on July 14.  In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of…

Indian PM Modi to attend Bastille Day Parade in Paris as guest of honour on July 14