Air Force Day on October 8: the force's 1932 founding, its wars and its relief missions
The Indian Air Force, founded on October 8, 1932, is saluted every year on this day for guarding the skies and the borders and for rescue work in disasters.
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October 8 is observed each year as Air Force Day, when the country salutes the Indian Air Force, which guards India's skies, keeps a watch on the border and saves lives in times of crisis. The force was formed in 1932 and is counted today among the finest and most modern air forces in the world.
Its motto is "Nabhah Sprisham Deeptam", meaning "touch the sky with glory". The source describes it as more than a line, calling it a mark of the courage and loyalty of every airman.
The force was founded on October 8, 1932, under British rule, and was then called the Royal Indian Air Force. It began with a handful of aircraft and a very small number of airmen. When India became a republic in 1950, the word "Royal" was dropped and it was officially named the Indian Air Force.
The Air Force has shown its strength in every war since Independence, including the conflict of 1947-48, the 1965 India-Pakistan war, the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the Kargil conflict of 1999.
The force is also well advanced in technology. Air shows and parades at bases across the country, including the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad, display this strength. Fighter aircraft such as the Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000 and the indigenously built Tejas draw crowds with their aerobatics. Transport aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules, and helicopters such as the Chinook and Apache, greatly increase its airlift and combat capability.
The Air Force's work is not limited to war. Whenever a natural disaster strikes India or its neighbouring countries, it is among the first to reach with help. Whether in the Uttarakhand floods, the devastation in Kerala, or the delivery of oxygen and medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, its personnel have saved the lives of lakhs of people without regard for their own safety.
Air Force Day is not only a military celebration. It is an occasion when the country thanks its soldiers together, and honours the soldiers who put their lives on the line to defend the motherland.
