On February 27, President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter PRACHAND at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Once operational, Ghatak could undertake deep-strike missions, penetrating heavily defended airspace to hit high-value targets without placing pilots at risk.
Vayu Shakti-2026 showcased the Indian Air Force's readiness for combat operations in both day and night conditions.
'Should China's interest in the Teesta River projects be approved, it would likely result in heightened Chinese presence near the Siliguri corridor.'
Returning to the Brahmaputra for Vijay Diwas was not just a journey across geography, but across memory of war, service, sacrifice, and the enduring bond between the Indian Air Force and the north east, asserts Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
In 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a multi-domain combat mission against Pakistan in response to cross-border terrorism. The operation involved precision strikes, military retaliation, and diplomatic measures, marking a significant shift in India's security policy.
The strategically important Mudh-Nyoma airbase in Ladakh has been operationalised, enhancing India's military capabilities near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
The Indian Air Force celebrated its 93rd anniversary with a ceremonial parade at the Hindan Air Force Station in Ghaziabad. The event honoured exceptional Air Warriors and showcased both heritage aircraft and modern assets like the Rafale, Su-30MKI, and Apache helicopters. Emphasising indigenous strength and readiness, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh hailed the IAF's growth from modest origins to a global force.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh emphasizes the importance of clear objectives and timely conflict termination, citing Operation Sindoor as an example for the world to follow.
The Pakistan Army has accused India of attempting to manipulate history by creating fabricated narratives, following claims by the Indian Army regarding Pakistani casualties along the Line of Control.
The development comes as relations between the two countries showed marked improvement following the four-day military conflict between Pakistan and India in May.
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh also decided to bring back another vintage symbol of the IAF, the 1967 Ford Saloon car, for the Air Force Day celebrations at Hindon Air Base, Ghaziabad.
The Pakistan Army has criticized recent remarks by Indian military officers and political leaders, warning that a future conflict between the two countries could lead to "cataclysmic devastation." The statement follows comments from Indian officials regarding India's ability to cross borders and the potential for military action against Pakistan.
Indian Army's Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai claims Pakistan lost over 100 military personnel along the Line of Control during Operation Sindoor and at least 12 aircraft during the conflict in May.
The final contours of the theaterisation process could involve the establishment of two integrated theatre commands to counter Pakistan and China, along with a third maritime theatre command.
'It can be two months, a year, or even five years. We need to be prepared.'
HAL aims to raise output from the current ceiling of 24 aircraft a year to 30 by the end of 2027
The Indian Air Force is set to retire its fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets at a decommissioning event in Chandigarh. The event will mark the end of an era for the aircraft that has been a key part of the IAF's combat fleet for over six decades.
The Air Chief revealed information about India's damage to Pakistan's defence capabilities while addressing an event at the Hal Management Academy in Bengaluru on Saturday.
India recognised acts of gallantry by armed forces personnel and senior military officers involved in Operation Sindoor, along with other distinguished service awards, on the eve of the 79th Independence Day.
At least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft including F-16 jets were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said on Friday while describing Islamabad's claim of India's losses as "fanciful stories".
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari reveals details of Operation Sindoor, claiming IAF strikes forced Pakistan to request an end to hostilities.
'But that was not our aim. Our objective was already achieved.'
India's Air Chief Marshal A P Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday to discuss the security situation arising from escalating tensions with Pakistan. The meeting comes after a similar briefing by the Navy Chief on the situation in the Arabian Sea. This follows a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which India has blamed on Pakistan. India has taken several retaliatory measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and banning imports from Pakistan.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The meeting comes a day after the Chief of Air Staff met with Prime Minister Modi to discuss the security situation. Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi gave the armed forces "complete operational freedom" to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
Modi has been chairing regular meetings with the top government functionaries involved in the country's military and diplomatic response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led the nation in paying tributes to military personnel who fought valiantly in harsh conditions to hand Pakistan a crushing defeat in the 1999 Kargil conflict.
Shehbaz made the comments during a visit to the Kamra air base in the country's Punjab province where he interacted with officers and soldiers involved in the recent military confrontation with India.
Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (Reired), on Saturday said the engine of the Air India aircraft that crashed near Ahmedabad airport on June 12 'definitely' lost power at a critical stage and there was no time for recovery.
A senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday claimed that the military operation against India was designed under the supervision of the party president Nawaz Sharif.
The slippage in the delivery schedule for the LCA Mk-1A variant of the jet had become a major issue with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh raising the matter publicly.
This was the first time two chiefs of the armed forces undertook a flight together.
When the country has been at war, the Opposition has buried its differences with the government, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Thursday flagged serious concerns over inordinate delays in various defence acquisition projects and failure to stick to delivery schedules for supply of key platforms even as he hailed Operation Sindoor as a 'national victory'.
'It brings precarious peace because the red lines have shifted. 'The next Pahalgam attack would mean a full scale war.'
'One good outcome of Operation Sindoor -- perhaps, its best outcome -- could be that India has resumed meaningful contact directly with Pakistan at the military-to-military level,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'He is intrigued by the intractability of Kashmir issue. With his interest in dealmaking and peacebrokering, he sees it as an exciting challenge to tackle.'
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
Major Khathing was the first man to hoist the Indian flag in Tawang. He also brought Bum La under Indian control.
'The government has to explain (to the army, air force and navy chiefs) whether they want a punitive strike, a deep punitive strike, or whether they want limited war or an all-out war, will it be a circumscribed war or will it be a shallow attack along the border.'
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