India celebrates 84th Indian Air Force

New Delhi: modernization process in the Indian Air Force will turn it into even more potent and strategic force which can take on all future challenges, President Pranab Mukherjee said here today.

In his message to the IAF on the eve of its 84th anniversary, the Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces said the nation is proud of the capability and competency of the IAF.

"Over the last eight decades, the IAF has emerged as an immensely professional and combat-ready force. It has achieved distinction in defending our skies and delivering vital humanitarian aid and disaster relief," Mukherjee said.

Greeting the force, the President said the brave men and women in blue have displayed incredible courage and determination in the discharge of their duties, acquitting themselves with great elan.

"I am confident that the ongoing process of modernization will transform the IAF into an even more potent and strategic force that can take on all future challenges. I am sure the IAF will remain ever vigilant in protecting our skies and continue to maintain its cherished standards of excellence," he said.

Mukherjee extended his greetings and felicitations to all personnel of the Indian Air Force, civilians and their families.

History

The Indian Air Force (IAF; IAST: Bhāratīya Vāyu Senā) is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. It is the world's fourth largest air force.Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in recognition of its services during World War II. After India became independent from the United Kingdom in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Dominion of India, with the prefix being dropped when India became a republic in 1950. Since independence, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan and one with the People's Republic of China. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai. Apart from conflicts, the IAF has been an active participant in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The President of India serves as Supreme Commander of the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff, an Air Chief Marshal, is a four-star officer and commands the Air Force. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the IAF. The rank of Marshal of the Air Force has been conferred once, to Arjan Singh, by the President of India on 26 Jan 2002 and he became the first five-star rank holding officer of IAF & serves as the ceremonial chief.

Mission

22 tonnes of food packets and 120 large oxygen cylinders have been moved to disaster-struck Nepal. See more pics at thebetterindia

22 tonnes of food packets and 120 large oxygen cylinders have been moved to disaster-struck Nepal.

The IAF's mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947, Constitution of India and the Air Force Act of 1950, in the aerial battlespace, as:

Defence of India and every part there of including preparation for defence and all such acts as may be conducive in times of war to its prosecution and after its termination to effective demobilisation.

Thus, the IAF has the primary objective of safeguarding Indian territory and national interests from all threats in conjunction with the other branches of the armed forces by defending Indian airspace. The IAF provides close air support to the Indian Army troops in the battlefield and also provides strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. IAF also provides infantry and artillery transportations or secondary Airlift for the Indian Army . The IAF also operates the Integrated Space Cell together with the other two branches of the Indian Armed Forces, the civilian Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to utilise more effectively the country's space-based assets for military purposes and to look into threats to these assets.

The Indian Air Force along with the other branches of the Indian Armed Forces provide assistance in disaster relief such as during natural calamities by undertaking evacuation or search-and-rescue (SAR) operations and air dropping relief supplies in affected areas. The IAF provided extensive assistance to relief operations during natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the Tsunami in 2004 and North India floods in 2013. The IAF also provides assistance to other countries during relief activities such as Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka.

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Mandeep Buttar