The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO: Bhāratīya Vāyu Senā) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British India which honoured India's aviation service during World War.[7]
Since 1950, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai. The IAF's mission expands beyond engagement with hostile forces, with the IAF participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF.[8] As of 1 January 2025[update], 135,000 personnel are in service with the Indian Air Force.[9][10] The Chief of the Air Staff, an air chief marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of 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 by the President of India on one occasion in history, to Arjan Singh. On 26 January 2002, Singh became the first and so far, only five-star rank officer of the IAF.[11]
- ^ Bhatt, Ajay (1 April 2022). "Unstarred Ques no. 4929, Lok Sabha" (PDF). Sansad. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ (IISS), International Institute of Strategic Studies (2025). The Military Balance 2025. Vol. 125. Chapter Five: Asia (1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN 9781032881973.
- ^ "Indian Air Force (2025)". www.wdmma.org. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "The IAF Motto". Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Mukundananda, Swami. "Chapter 11, Verse 24 – Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God – Swami Mukundananda". Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God – Swami Mukundananda. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "IAF celebrates 87th Air Force Day – Abhinandan enthrals audience". The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Indian Air Force". indianairforce.nic.in. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "About – The President of India". Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "20% Sailor Shortage in Navy, 15% Officer Posts Vacant In Army, Nirmala Sitharaman Tells Parliament". News18. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "Armed forces facing shortage of nearly 60,000 personnel: Government". The Economic Times. 27 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "Arjan Singh: IAF's 1965 war hero and the only five-star ranked officer". Hindustan Times. 16 September 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017.