Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted air warriors on Air Force Day and acknowledged their great service and sacrifice to ensure our skies are safe. A woman officer commanded the Indian Air Force Day parade for the first time at the Air Force station Bamrauli in Prayagraj on Sunday.
Modi also said India is proud of the valour, commitment and dedication of the Indian Air Force.
In a post on X, he shared a video montage on the Indian Air Force's valour.
"Best wishes to all air warriors and their families on Air Force Day. India is proud of the valour, commitment and dedication of the Indian Air Force. Their great service and sacrifice ensure our skies are safe," the prime minister said in his post.
Captain Shaliza Dhami leads parade
On Sunday, Group Captain Shaliza Dhami, a female officer and a helicopter pilot, led the Indian Air Force Day parade at the Air Force station Bamrauli in Prayagraj to celebrate the service's 91st anniversary.
This marked another milestone for Dhami, who earlier this year became the first woman to assume command of a frontline combat unit in the IAF, specifically heading a missile squadron in the western sector.
Commissioned into the IAF in 2003, Dhami is a qualified flying instructor with over 2,800 hours of flying experience. This development underscores the armed forces' commitment to providing women with equal opportunities alongside their male counterparts.
IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ashish Moghe told Hindustan Times, “Also for the first time, the parade will have an all-women contingent consisting of the newly inducted Agniveer Vayu, who shall march shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. The parade also includes a flight of Garud commandos for the first time."
What did IAF Chief VR Chaudhari say?
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Sunday called on his force to refine its strategy, enhance all-round capabilities and develop a flexible mindset to "prosecute" possible future wars, considering the current "complex" and "dynamic" strategic environment.
In an address to air warriors on the occasion of Air Force Day, the Chief of Air Staff said the current geopolitical landscape has provided the force an opportunity to reduce dependency on imports by developing indigenous capability.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari also underlined the need for understanding the nuances of evolving air power, "setting the pace to preserve peace and if and when necessary, to fight and win wars."
He said the world is changing at a rapid pace and the IAF must meet all new challenges coming its way.
"In this complex and dynamic strategic environment, refining our strategy, building robust all round capabilities and more importantly, developing a flexible mindset to prosecute future wars will prove decisive," he said at the event where he also unveiled the new ensign of the force.
What did other dignitaries say?
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan on Sunday extended their wishes to air warriors and their families on the Air Force Day, with Singh saying that the IAF today is a "lethal and formidable force, projecting its air power beyond boundaries".
Gen Chauhan in his message said this momentous occasion marks "nearly a century of unwavering dedication and unparalleled service" of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to the nation.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was conferred with an honorary Group Captain rank in 2010, also greeted the IAF personnel on the occasion.
Tendulkar posted a video message on X, donning the Air Force blues.
"On the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the Indian Air Force, I extend my congratulations to all personnel and families of the IAF. I thank the Indian Air Force for giving me an opportunity to don the blues," he said in the video.
New ensign of IAF unveiled
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Sunday unveiled a new ensign of the Indian Air Force (IAF), replacing the existing one that was adopted more than seven decades back.
The IAF Chief released the new ensign at the 91st IAF Day celebrations in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.
In the new ensign, the IAF crest features in the top right corner.
It is a momentous day in the annals of the IAF's history, the force said on 'X'.
The unveiling of the new ensign by the IAF came over a year after the Navy made changes in its ensign shedding its colonial past.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will introduce a new ensign during the annual Air Force Day parade in Prayagraj on Sunday. This change is aimed at better aligning the ensign with the IAF's core values, marking a significant update 72 years after a similar process was last undertaken.
"October 8 will go down as a momentous day in the annals of IAF history. On this historic day, the Chief of Air Staff will unveil the new IAF ensign," the IAF said.
In the new ensign, the Indian Air Force crest will be in the top right corner.
The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October, 1932. In view of its professional efficiency and achievements during World War II, the force was bestowed with the prefix "Royal" in March 1945. So, it became the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF).
In 1950, the IAF dropped its "Royal" prefix and amended the ensign as India became a republic.
The RIAF ensign consisted of the Union Jack in the upper left canton and the RIAF roundel (red, white and blue) on the fly side. Post-Independence, the IAF ensign was created by replacing the Union Jack with the Indian tricolour and the RAF roundels with the IAF tricolour roundel in the lower right canton.
"A new lAF ensign has now been created to better reflect the values of the Indian Air Force. This reaffirmation will now be reflected by the inclusion of the Air Force Crest in the top right corner of the ensign, towards the fly side," the IAF said in a statement.
The IAF crest has the national symbol, the Ashoka lion on the top with the words 'Satyameva Jayate' in Devanagari below it.
Below the Ashoka lion is a Himalayan eagle with its wings spread, denoting the fighting qualities of the IAF.
A ring in light blue colour encircles the Himalayan eagle with the words 'Bhartiya Vayu Sena.
The motto of the IAF -- 'touch the sky with the glory' is inscribed below Himalayan eagle in Devanagari.
The IAF motto has been taken from verse 24, Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita and means "Radiant Thou Touchest Heaven" or in other words "touching the sky with glory".
The Air Force Day parade and air display will be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari are among top military officials attending the event.
The parade was traditionally held at the Hindon airbase near Delhi till 2021 before the event was taken outside the national capital. It was held in Chandigarh last year.
