During a flight to Israel, the Indian captain was attacked by his co-pilot in what is suspected to be an attempted assassination with a knife.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is paying tribute to his injured compatriot, calling him a "hero" who has shown "tremendous courage."
"His bravery helped save hundreds of lives and prevent a major tragedy. India is proud," he said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also described the pilot's resistance to the attacker as the reason the plane did not crash.
According to Netanyahu, the captain fought back after being injured, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker. The pilot prevented a "disaster in the middle of a flight," Netanyahu writes on X and continues:
"He saved the lives of 174 people, among them Israeli citizens and other nationalities."
Little is known about flight captain Smit Machchhar, but according to his social media profile, he has worked for the airline Flydubai for four years after previously working for the Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet.
"You are everyone's hero, Captain," SpiceJet writes on X.
Machchhar is being treated in hospital and his condition is said to be stable.
