Explore Business Standard
Indian Air Force
India ushered in its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a grand display of its cultural diversity, economic growth, and military prowess that included missiles, warplanes, newly-raised units and lethal weapon systems used during Operation Sindoor. President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, graced the celebrations as chief guests, marking a significant diplomatic moment alongside the military display. Although the overarching theme of the event was 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', the Indian military's Operation Sindoor too found prominence at the parade on the Kartavya Path, the centrepiece boulevard of the national capital. The parade commenced with the President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly after she, Costa and von der Leyen, flanked by the Indian president's bodyguards, arrived at the Kartavya Path in a traditional buggy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several other Union
A two-seater microlite aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Wednesday, defence sources said. Both the pilot and the other crew member who were onboard the aircraft are safe, they said. A microlite aircraft is a small aircraft generally used for training, bird recce and survey purposes. The aircraft met with an accident while it was on a routine sortie. The recovery system was initiated, and "both the crew are safe", they said. The aircraft was recovered from an open area away from the main city, they said. Authorities in Prayagraj have cordoned off the area, and an investigation into the incident is underway, officials in Prayagraj said. The aircraft has crashed near the K P College ground in the George Town area, they said.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Friday said the decisive role of air power as the primary responder and deterrent has clearly emerged in the successful conduct of Operation Sindoor. The IAF chief said that though the operation was short, it was intense and it demonstrated the synchronisation between military and political leadership. The decisive role of air power as the primary responder and deterrent has clearly emerged, he said, an official statement quoting him said. The air chief marshal was delivering the keynote address for the first Air Commodore Mehar Singh memorial talk at the Air Force Station, Chandigarh, on Friday. Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of indigenisation, R&D, jointness and synergy to strengthen future capabilities. The event was organised to reflect on the enduring legacy of Air Commodore Mehar Singh. Anchit Gupta, an Indian historian specialising in the history of the Indian Air Force, covered Air Commodore Mehar Singh's achievements and ...
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday inaugurated the upgraded runway at the IAF's Car Nicobar air base in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The CDS arrived in Car Nicobar island around 11.30 am and was welcomed by Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) and several other senior officials. "The CDS inaugurated the resurfaced and upgraded runway at the Indian Air Force's Car Nicobar Air Base," an official said. Located nearly 535 km from Sri Vijaya Puram, Car Nicobar in Nicobar district suffered the maximum damage during the 2004 Tsunami. "The upgraded runway will give more strength to the eastern front due to its direct strategic oversight of the Malacca Strait - a global maritime lifeline/passage for international trade and energy supplies through ships. It will give the Indian Air Force (IAF) more ability for quick air operations," the senior official said. The apron areas have been expanded for smooth aircraft ...
The IAF's Software Development Institute (SDI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Madras for the joint design and development of an indigenous digital communication system for airborne applications. This collaboration marks a significant step towards realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, fostering self-reliance in defence technology and enhancing India's strategic capabilities, an official release said on Monday. The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal R Guruhari, Commandant, SDI; Prof V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and Dr M J Shankar Raman, CEO, Pravartak Technologies Foundation. Through this partnership, the Indian Air Force (IAF) aims to develop advanced algorithms for networking and encryption in collaboration with IIT Madras, the release said. These systems are critical for secure, reliable, and high-performance data exchange in dynamic airborne environments, essential for modern military operations and networked warfare. By developing this ...
As India prepares to procure up to 80 military transport planes, US aerospace major Lockheed Martin has pitched its C-130J Super Hercules as the best choice and said an additional fleet of the aircraft will provide it a "stronger" heft for tactical airlift among the Quad nations. If Lockheed Martin gets the opportunity, then it will set up a mega hub in India to produce the "iconic" aircraft and it will be the first such global facility outside of the US, top officials of the company told PTI. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 560 aircraft from the C-130J Super Hercules family, which have accumulated more than three million flight hours. The leading tactical airlift has been serving 28 operators in 23 nations. The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates 12 C-130Js. Alongside the standard transport variant, Lockheed Martin offers multiple specialised configurations of the C-130J which enable the aircraft to perform intelligence, electronic warfare, special forces ..
When Pakistan attacked Indian defence installations during Operation Sindoor, which was "getting a little out of hand", the Indian Air Force retaliated hard, striking their military targets and hitting where it "hurt the most", a former IAF chief said on Tuesday. This prompted Islamabad to waive the "white flag" after the four-day-long conflict in May, said Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari (retd). Chaudhari emphasised the Indian government took a very bold decision to strike deep inside Pakistan to destroy terror camps in retaliation of the Pahalgam massacre in April in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by attackers backed by the neighbouring country. Operation Sindoor was result of a very bold planning by joint teams of all the three services - the Army, Navy and Air Force, he noted. Chaudhari was speaking at an event in IIT Bombay where former Navy chief R Hari Kumar and ex- Army chief Manoj Pande were also present. On May 7, India struck nine terror camps deep inside
Asserting that war and warfare is at the cusp of a major revolution, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Saturday said the Indian Defence forces are committed to adapting to changing environment and imbibing reforms to remain ready and relevant. Addressing the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of 216 Course held at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal near here, General Chauhan said India's strength rests on robust institutions, democratic stability, and unwavering professionalism of our Armed Forces. He said the intensity of operations may have ebbed, but Operation Sindoor continues. "You (new officers) also join the Air Force at a moment when a new normal has firmly taken shape. An era defined by a high degree of operational preparedness, 24-7, 365 days. The intensity of operations may have ebbed, but Operation Sindhur continues," he said. He further said the newly trained officers are entering the Indian Air Force during a phase of deep transformation of the Indian
Two transport aircraft of the IAF C-130J and IL-76 delivered nearly 21 tonnes of relief material in Colombo on Saturday as part of India's humanitarian assistance extended to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched to assist the island nation in its hour of crisis in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. Also, INS Sukanya, carrying more humanitarian aid, has left Visakhapatnam and is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon, officials said. A C-130J transport aircraft carrying approximately 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food items, landed in Colombo today morning, a senior official said on Saturday. An IL-76 aircraft carrying 9 tonnes of relief material, 80 NDRF personnel, four canines, and 8 tonnes of NDRF HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) equipment also landed in Colombo on Saturday morning, the official added. Besides, two Chetak helicopters from the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant are ..
An Indian Air Force aircraft carrying emergency relief material for those displaced by unprecedented floods arrived in Sri Lanka early on Saturday morning. The C130 aircraft carrying essential food items and sanitary supplies reached Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport airport at around 1.30 am and was received by the Indian High Commission officials and Sri Lanka Air Force officers. India on Friday launched Operation Sagar Bandhu' to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis, and the first tranche of relief materials was handed over after the consignments were transported by the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to the island nation. The relief came as Sri Lankan authorities warned of an unprecedented disaster situation in the Western Province from Friday night due to rising water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers. Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst disasters as cyclonic storm Ditwah wreaked havoc, causing floods and ...