Indian Air Force

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Indian Air force

Ensign of the Indian Air Force

Active 8 October 1932 – present
Country India
Branch Air Force
170,000 active personnel
Size
1,309 aircraft[1]
Ministry of Defence
Part of
Indian Armed Forces
Headquarters New Delhi, India
नभःसपृशं दीपतम्
Sanskrit: Nabhaḥ-Spṛśaṃ
Motto
Dīptam
"Touch the Sky with Glory"[2]
Navy blue, Sky blue & White
Colour
Anniversaries Air Force Day: 8th October[3]
World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Congo Crisis
Operation Vijay
Sino-Indian War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Engagements
Bangladesh Liberation War
Operation Meghdoot
Operation Poomalai
Operation Pawan
Operation Cactus
Kargil War
Indian Military Honour
Decorations
Awards
Battle honours Param Vir Chakra
Website indianairforce.nic.in
Commanders
Chief of the Air Air Chief Marshal Pradeep
Staff Vasant Naik
Vice Chief of the Air Marshal Pranab Kumar
Air Saff Barbora
Insignia

Crest
 Roundel

Fin flash

Aircraft flown
Attack Jaguar, MiG-27, Harpy
Electronic
IAI Phalcon
warfare
Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000,
Fighter
MiG-29, MiG-21
Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-
Helicopter
8, Mi-17, Mi-26, Mi-25/35
Reconnaissance Searcher II, Heron
HPT-32 Deepak, HJT-16
Trainer
Kiran, Hawk Mk 132
Il-76, An-32, HS 748, Do 228,
Transport Boeing 737, ERJ 135, Il-
78MKI
The Indian Air Force (IAF; Devanāgarī: भारतीय वायु सेना, Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) is the air arm of
the Indian armed forces. 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 Indian Empire and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in recognition of its
services during World War II. After India achieved independence from the United Kingdom in
1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Union 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 - the invasion of Goa, Operation Meghdoot and Operation Cactus. Apart from
conflicts, the IAF has been an active participant in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff, an
Air Chief Marshal (ACM), is a four star commander and commands the Air Force. There is
never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the IAF. One officer has been conferred
the rank of Marshal of the Air Force, a 5-star rank and the officer serves as the ceremonial chief.
With strength of approximately 170,000 personnel and 1,309 aircraft, the Indian Air Force is the
world's fourth largest.[4][5] In recent years, the IAF has undertaken an ambitious expansion and
modernisation program to replace its aging Soviet-era fighter jets. Among the various expansion
plans is the MRCA program under which the IAF plans to induct 126 fighter jets at a cost of
US$12 billion.

History
Main article: History of the Indian Air Force
[edit] Formation and Pre-Independence years (1932–1947)

A Westland Wapiti, one of the first aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Air Force was established in British India as an auxiliary air force[10] of the Royal Air
Force with the enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 on 8 October that year.[11][12] On 1
April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti
biplanes and five Indian pilots. The Indian pilots were led by Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice
Marshal) Cecil Bouchier.[13] Until 1938, No. 1 Squadron remained the only squadron of the IAF,
though two more flights were added.[13]

Karun Krishna "Jumbo" Majumdar was the first Indian officer to be awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.

During World War II, the Air Force grew to seven squadrons in 1943 and to nine squadrons in
1945.[13] The IAF helped in blocking the advance of the Japanese army in Burma, where its first
air strike was on the Japanese military base in Arakan. It also carried out strike missions against
the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. In
recognition of the crucial role played by the IAF, King George VI conferred it the prefix "Royal"
in 1945.[12][14] The prefix was dropped in 1950 when India became a republic.[12] During the war,
many youth joined the Indian National Army. Forty five of them (known as the Tokyo Boys)
were sent to train as fighter pilots at the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Academy in 1944 by
Subhas Chandra Bose.[15] After the war, they were interned by the Allies and were court-
martialled. After Indian independence, some of them rejoined the IAF for service.[15]

Structure
The President of India is the Supreme Commander of all Indian armed forces and by virtue of
that fact is the notional Commander of the Air Force. India's Ministry of Defence under the
Defence Minister oversees the Air Force, by way of direct civilian leadership.[65] The Prime
Minister and the National Security Council provide indirect leadership by shaping government
security policy. A Chief of the Air Staff with the rank of Air Chief Marshal commands Air
Headquarters and provides military leadership. He is assisted by six officers: a Vice Chief of the
Air Staff, a Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Officer in Charge of Administration, the Air
Officer in Charge of Personnel, the Air Officer in Charge of Maintenance, and the Inspector
General of Flight Safety.[66] In January 2002, the government conferred the rank of Marshal of
the Air Force on Arjan Singh making him the first and only Five Star rank officer with the Indian
Air Force and ceremonial chief of the air force.[67]

Bases
Main article: List of Indian Air Force bases

USAF F-16 at Kalaikunda AFS during Cope India 2006. IAF Mig 27s can be seen in
the background.

The IAF operates over sixty air bases, with more being built or planned.[69] Western Air
Command is the largest Air Command. It operates sixteen air bases from Punjab to Uttar
Pradesh. Eastern Air Command operates fifteen Air bases in Eastern and North-eastern India.
Central Air Command operates seven Air Bases in Madhya Pradesh and surrounding states of
central India. Southern Air Command, a strategically important Air command, in line with
India's latest doctrine of protecting the vital shipping routes. It operates nine Air bases in
Southern India and two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. South Western Air Command is
the front line of defence against Pakistan, this important Command operates twelve air bases in
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. India also operates the Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan.[70]
Officers
Anyone holding Indian citizenship can apply to be an officer in the Air Force as long as they
satisfy the eligibility criteria. There are four entry points to become an officer. Male applicants,
who are between the ages of 16½ and 19 and have passed high school graduation, can apply at
the Intermediate level.[84] Men and women applicants, who have graduated from college (three
year course) and are between the ages of 18 and 28, can apply at the Graduate level entry.[85]
Graduates of engineering colleges can apply at the Engineer level if they are between the ages of
18 and 28 years. The age limit for the flying and ground duty branch is 23 years of age and for
technical branch is 28 years of age.[86] After completing a master's degree, men and women
between the ages of 18 and 28 years can apply at the Post Graduate level. Post graduate
applicants do not qualify for the flying branch. For the technical branch the age limit is 28 years
and for the ground duty branch it is 25.[87] At the time of application, all applicants must be
single.[88] The IAF selects candidates for officer training from these applicants. After completion
of training, candidate are commissioned as Flying Officers.[89]
Training

The Sudan Block of the National Defence Academy (NDA)

The Indian Armed Forces has set up numerous military academies across India for training its
personnel. Military schools, Sainik Schools, and the Rashtriya Indian Military College were
founded to broaden the recruitment base of the Defence Forces. The three branches of the Indian
Armed Forces jointly operate several institutions such as the National Defence Academy (NDA),
Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), National Defence College (NDC) and the College of
Defence Management (CDM) for training its officers. The Armed Forces Medical College
(AFMC) at Pune is responsible for providing the entire pool of medical staff to the Armed Forces
by giving them in service training.
Besides these Tri-service institutions, the Indian Air Force has a Training Command and several
training establishments. While technical and other support staff are trained at various Ground
Training Schools, the pilots are trained at the Air Force Academy located at Dundigul. The Pilot
Training Establishment at Allahabad, the Air Force Administrative College at Coimbatore, the
School of Aviation Medicine at Bangalore, the Air Force Technical Training College at Jalahalli
and the Paratrooper’s Training School at Agra are some of the other training establishments of
the IAF.