Ensign of the Indian Air Force
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| Unit name | Indian Air force | | Founded | 8 October 1932 � present | | Country | India | | Size | 170,000 active personnel
1300 aircraft | | Part of | Ministry of Defence
Indian Armed Forces | | Garrison/HQ | New Delhi, India | | Motto | नभःस्पृशं दीप्तम्
"Touch the Sky with Glory" | | Colors | Navy blue, Sky blue & White
| | Anniversaries | Air Force Day: 8th October | | Engagements | Notable Operations
World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Congo Crisis
Operation Vijay
Sino-Indian War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Bangladesh Liberation War
Operation Pawan
Operation Cactus
Kargil War
| | Chief of the Air Staff | ACM Pradeep Vasant Naik | | Vice Chief | Air Marshal N. A. K. Browne | | Attack | Jaguar, MiG-27, Harpy | Electronic
warfare | A-50E/I | | Fighter | Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, MiG-21 | | Helicopter | Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-26, Mi-25/35 | | Reconnaissance | Searcher II, Heron | | Trainer | HPT-32 Deepak, HJT-16 Kiran, Hawk Mk 132 | | Transport | Il-76, An-32, HS 748, Do 228, Boeing 737, ERJ 135, Il-78 MKI |
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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, 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 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 1,300 aircraft, the Indian Air Force is the world's fourth largest air force after the United States Air Force, Russian Air Force and China's People's Liberation Army Air Force. In recent years, the IAF has undertaken an ambitious expansion and modernisation program to replace its aging Soviet-era fighter jets.
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