A teaser for the game shows a captured airman resembling Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was shot down in a dogfight over Pakistan earlier this year.
The trailer starts with a scene showing an aircraft similar to Varthaman's Russian-made MiG-21. Along the aircraft, a fighter pilot donning the iconic “gunslinger” moustache resembling that of Varthaman can be seen.
The new mobile game has triggered banter between Indian and Pakistani social media users.
Indian netizens seemed to be super excited to try out the game, entitled 'Indian Air Force: A cut above'.
But while Indians are applauding the teaser, the Pakistani twitterati doesn’t seem particularly amused.
Many Pakistani users mocked the game with comments of “Tea was nice”- a statement made by Abhinandan while sipping a cup of tea in a video released by the Pakistani authorities after his capture on 27 February.
Wing Commander Abhinandan became the toast of India after he was captured by Pakistan on 27 February. His MiG-21 crashed in Pakistani territory after reportedly managing to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in a fierce dogfight. The pilot was released by Pakistan two days later "as a peace gesture", with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan stating that the gesture would prevent tensions from “getting out of hand”.
The 27 February dogfight followed the 14 February Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir state, for which India blames Pakistan, in which more than 40 Indian soldiers were killed.
The game will initially be launched in a single player version on 31 July. A multiplayer version will be launched at a later date.