Indian Air Force Day is celebrated every year on 8 October. This day is in honor of the establishment of the Indian Air Force and the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. This year the 93rd ceremony was held at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad. The Indian Air Force is one of the most powerful air forces in the world.

Let us tell you that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is one of the most powerful air forces in the world. Not only does it play an important role in the defense of India, but many unknown facts related to it tell about its glorious history, special achievements and different qualities. So, today we are going to tell you 10 interesting facts related to the Indian Air Force.
10 interesting facts about Indian Air Force
- Installation: The Indian Air Force was established on October 8, 1932 as an auxiliary force under British rule. Initially it was known as Royal Indian Air Force.
- The world’s fourth largest air force: The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest air force in the world in terms of number of personnel and aircraft. It has more than 1700 aircraft and employs approximately 1,40,000 personnel.
- Role in wars: The Indian Air Force has participated in four wars with Pakistan (1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999) and one war with China (1962).
- world’s highest airstrip: It is located in Daulat Beg Oldie, Ladakh, India. This airstrip is situated at an altitude of approximately 16,614 feet above sea level. This airstrip is very important from strategic point of view for the Indian Air Force.
- modern fighter jets and aircraft: The Indian Air Force has the latest aircraft and technology, including fighter aircraft such as the Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, and Tejas.
- Motto: The ideal sentence of the Indian Air Force is “Nabhah Sprusham Diptam” This sentence is taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
- BhaMajor operations of the Western Air Force: Operation Meghdoot, Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Pumalai, Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor. Among these, Operation Safed Sagar was a campaign conducted during the Kargil war of 1999.
- Women’s Wing of the Indian Air Force: There are many courageous and experienced officers in the women’s wing of the Indian Air Force. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sophia Qureshi played important roles during Operation Sindoor. Apart from this, Wing Commander Nikita Pandey, who is a fighter controller and was involved in Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor.
- forward in humanitarian aid: The Indian Air Force is known for its commitment to humanitarian assistance, having carried out critical rescue operations during natural disasters.
Air Force becomes crisis response in disaster
During the 2013 disaster relief efforts, the Indian Air Force operated 45 helicopters of eight different types from eight locations, completed 3,536 missions and evacuated 23,892 civilians by air within 65 days. This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication and capability of the Indian Air Force to provide support in times of crisis.