The Prime Minister's office confirmed the video call on Tuesday, a direct line to the pilot who held the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073 during a violent confrontation. Modi did not mince words, telling Machchhar that the nation is reciting the Maha Mrityunjaya Jaap for his swift recovery. He credited the captain’s presence of mind for saving the lives of everyone on board that Dubai-to-Tel Aviv route.
Machchhar, visibly emotional during the brief exchange, broke down while describing the chaos inside the cockpit. He admitted he wasn't thinking about tactics or threats; he was simply reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. "Whenever I am in pain, I recite it. At that time too, I only kept reciting the Hanuman Chalisa," he told the Prime Minister, adding that the prayer anchored him when everything else felt like it was falling apart.
Modi shifted the focus to the man’s upbringing, specifically mentioning Machchhar’s mother, Geeta Ben. He noted that the values instilled by her, rooted in the Bhagavad Gita, were evident in the pilot's calm demeanor during the ordeal. The Prime Minister framed the incident not just as a security breach, but as a defining moment of Indian character—a refusal to take lives, even when threatened with one’s own.
The pilot, who had described Modi as his "biggest idol," said the call was a moment of profound pride. He had never imagined such a direct connection, let alone praise during a period of intense physical recovery. The interaction humanized the sterile news reports of the "hijacking," replacing the cold mechanics of a security incident with the lived reality of a man holding a prayer in his mind while fighting for control.
Machchhar remains in medical care, with doctors monitoring his progress following the physical struggle in the cockpit. The Civil Aviation Ministry has not yet released a formal statement on the operational security gaps exposed by the incident, but the government’s focus has remained firmly on the pilot’s recovery and the national narrative of his bravery.