89th anniversary of Indian Air Force

• India observes ""Indian Air Force Day"" every year on October 8 because, on this day, the Air Force in India was officially raised as the supporting force of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom in 1932.
• Every year, Indian Air Force Day is celebrated at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
• The celebrations are marked in the presence of the IAF chief and senior officials of the three-armed forces.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks fourth amongst the air forces of the world.
• Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflict.
• After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of Dominion of India.
• With the government's transition to a Republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Headquarter: Ministry of Defence, New Delhi
• Motto(s)U: नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम् ""Touch the sky with Glory""
• Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari

Aircraft flown

1. Attack: Jaguar, Eitan, Harop
2. Electronic warfare: A-50E/I, DRDO AEW&CS
3. Fighter: Su-30MKI, Rafale, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Tejas, MiG-21
4. Helicopter: Apache AH-64E, CH-47 Chinook, Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-8, Mi-17, Rudra, Mi-26, Mi-25/35
5. Reconnaissance: Searcher II, Heron
6. Trainer: Hawk Mk 132, HJT-16 Kiran, Pilatus C-7 Mk II
7. Transport: C-130J, C-17 Globemaster III, CH-47F (I) Chinook, Il-76, An-32, HS 748, Do 228, Boeing 737, ERJ 135
8. Tanker: IL-78 MKI"