Page 15 - Indian Air Force

Ambani's Jamnagar pre-wedding bash: IAF helped manage 600+ jets in 5 days

The airfield in Jamnagar was designated an international airport for the five-day event celebrating Anant Ambani's engagement with Radhika Merchant

40 years since Operation Meghdoot, here is why Siachen Glacier matters

Within the Pakistani army Siachen is a military setback with the Indians dominating the glacier from the Saltoro. Pakistan insists on terming it 'the Siachen dispute'

Indian Army marks 40 years at world's highest battleground Siachen

The induction of heavy-lift helicopters and logistic drones, deployment of all-terrain vehicles and laying of an extensive network of tracks are among a host of measures that have enhanced India's combat prowess in Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, officials said on Saturday. As the Indian Army marks the 40th year of its presence on the strategically-significant Siachen glacier, the officials said there have been extensive improvements in the operational capabilities of the force due to the enhancement of infrastructure in the region in the last few years. The Siachen glacier at the height of around 20,000 feet in the Karakoram mountain range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds. Under its "Operation Meghdoot", the Indian Army established its full control over the glacier on April 13, 1984. "The Indian Army's control over the Siachen glacier has not only been a story of unparalleled valour and ...

Mr Techie goes to the polls

Chandrasekhar paid the price for being an early mover in a business that was at best perilous. The business had to be sold for an undisclosed sum

Agnipath scheme likely to dent BJP's electoral prospects in Uttarakhand

People in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand say the Agnipath scheme and the Ankita Bhandari case would have a bearing on the electoral prospects of the BJP here since the youth is not happy for the last couple of years. Ankit Negi, a resident of the Chamoli district, said that choosing the Army as a career option was the primary choice of every youth here, especially those from the hills or rural areas. Eight years (from 17 to 25) are crucial for every youth who decides where they will head in life. It decides the future of the person and his family as well. However, after the introduction of this scheme, the youth is deeply agitated. The youth of hill areas are known for their physical strength. Every youth here used to be very enthusiastic about choosing the Army as their career option. The BJP is not focusing on this issue and it is also not in their election manifesto, due to which most of the youngsters here are not in favour of voting for the party, Negi said. Abhinav Patwal,

IAF airlifts injured soldier with severed hand in C-130 J to Delhi hospital

An Indian Army personnel, whose hand had got severed while operating a machine at a unit located in a forward area, was brought to a Delhi hospital after a "dark night airlift" by an IAF C-130J aircraft from Ladakh sector, officials said on Friday. The jawan underwent an emergency surgery at the Army's Research Referral (R&R) Hospital here, and his severed hand was stitched back, they said. Sources said the incident took place on Wednesday, adding, the personnel was first evacuated to Leh air base and from there a Super Hercules airlifted him to Palam air force station in Delhi. From the time he was brought to the Leh air base to the time he was brought to Delhi, "the span was about four hours," and this "superior coordination" between the Army and the IAF ensured the injured jawan's critical surgery could be performed in time to stitch back his severed hand, a source told PTI. On Friday morning, the Indian Air Force posted on X about the emergency airlift and also shared a photo .

In a first, India posts defence attaches to African states, Philippines

India is deploying 15-16 new attaches to countries such as Poland, Armenia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines

India upgrading strategic military infra in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

The upgrade will enable the deployment of more military forces and provide facilities for a greater number and size of warships, aircraft, troops

IAF's Apache attack chopper makes emergency landing in Ladakh; pilots safe

An Apache helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) made an emergency landing during an operational sortie in Ladakh and it sustained damage due to "undulating" terrain and high altitude, the IAF said on Thursday. The IAF said the incident took place on Wednesday and both the pilots on board are safe. It was the first such incident involving an Apache chopper in the IAF, military officials said. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The IAF had procured 22 Apache attack helicopters and the chopper that had to make the emergency landing was based in the Pathankot Air Force station in Punjab. "An IAF Apache helicopter carried out a precautionary landing during an operational training sortie in Ladakh on April 3. During the process of this landing, it sustained damage due to undulating terrain and high altitude," the IAF said in a brief statement. "Both the pilots on board are safe and have been recovered to the nearest airbase. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to

Indian Air Force receives first indigenously designed Crash Fire Tender

The Indian Air Force is promoting indigenisation and has procured many made-in-India items to meet its operational requirements

Govt open to change in Agniveer scheme if needed, says Rajnath Singh

As announced, the 'Agnipath' or 'Agniveer' scheme is a process for recruiting soldiers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to be hired for a term of four years on contract

Given political will, we can target beyond enemy lines: IAF chief

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari on Wednesday said that "Balakot-like operations" have shown that given political will, aerospace power can be effectively carried out beyond enemy lines. In his address at a seminar on "Aerospace Power in Future Conflicts", he also said that as nations increasingly rely on space-based assets for building strategic advantage, "militarisation and weaponisation of space has become an inevitable reality". "Through the annals of human history, the skies have often been regarded as realms of wonder and exploration, where dreams take flight and boundaries dissolve into the vast blue expanse," he said. Yet, beneath this calmness lies a domain "fraught with competition where contest for aerial superiority" has shaped the destiny of many nations and decided the outcome of many wars, the chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) said. "As we navigate these uncharted skies, air power being a key component of national power, would undoubtedly play a pivotal r

IAF chief spells out vision to transition into future ready aerospace force

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari visited the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Tamil Nadu's Wellington on Friday and told a group of officers about the IAF's vision to transition into a "contemporary and future ready aerospace force". The IAF chief also highlighted the significant air power lessons derived from existing conflicts such as Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas conflict, the defence ministry said in a statement. In his address to them, he also covered the challenges confronting the IAF, its capability development plan and jointmanship, it said. He addressed the student officers from the Indian armed forces and friendly foreign countries undergoing the 79th Staff Course and the permanent staff of DSSC. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari "spelt out the transition of IAF into a contemporary and future ready aerospace force". He reiterated the vision as spelt out in the IAF doctrine, which envisages an agile and adaptive air force to provide decisive aerospace ...

Incredible momentum in India-US defence partnership: Pentagon official

There is a paradigm change and incredible momentum in the US-India defence relationship which is now defined more by the overall trajectory rather than by differences on key issues, a senior Pentagon official has said. The remarks by Siddharth Iyer, Director for South Asia, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), Department of Defense, came at a roundtable on the future of the US-India Defence Partnership with a focus on technology collaboration and maritime strategy. The roundtable was organised by The US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum and CUTS International, a non-profit body on trade relations. Incredible amount of progress (in India-US relationship) has been made not just in the last two years, but even the last 12 months. I think that just sort of underscores the degree to which there's incredible momentum and the relationship now is defined more by the pace and the sort of overall trajectory rather than by differences and divergences on key issues, Iyer said. The

Rajnath approves expanding NCC to 2 mn cadets, build 'future leaders'

Plan will make NCC the world's largest uniformed youth organisation

Tri-service military exercise 'Bharat Shakti' to be held at Pokhran

Stage is set in the arid terrain of Rajasthan's Pokhran for the mega exercise 'Bharat Shakti' on Tuesday, which will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to witness the integrated tri-service firepower and manoeuvre exercise that will be held for about 50 minutes. The country's top military brass will also be present on the occasion. LCA Tejas, ALH Mk-IV, LCH Prachand, mobile anti-drone system, BMP-II and its variants, NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier), T90 tanks, Dhanush, K9 Vajra and Pinaka rockets are among the platforms that will be demonstrated. 'Bharat Shakti' will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services, Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, Major General C S Mann had told reporters here on Saturday. It will showcase the "shock and awe" impact that the armed forces seek to achieve in an operational situation with manoeuv

IAF airlifts over 700 stranded passengers between Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh

The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted over 700 stranded passengers between the twin union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on Saturday, an official said. While 514 passengers were airlifted from Jammu to Leh in two sorties of IL-76, 223 persons were flown from Srinagar to Leh in another sortie, the official said. With this, a total of 1,251 persons were airlifted between Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh this week. Earlier on Monday, 331 passengers were airlifted in separate sorties of AN-32, also known as Kargil courier, by the IAF between Jammu and Kashmir to Kargil. The Kargil courier was launched by the IAF on January 22 following closure of 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway owing to heavy snowfall. The Kargil courier service operates three days a week between Jammu and Srinagar, and twice a week between Srinagar and Kargil to facilitate the stranded passengers. The passengers have expressed their gratitude to all authorities, particularly the IAF, for facilitating

IAF guarding skies, making paramount contribution to space programme: Prez

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the Indian Air Force's contribution to the nation's service is etched in "golden letters" and it is not only guarding the skies but also making a paramount contribution to the country's space programme. In her address at a ceremony held at the Hindan Air Force Station to award President's Standard and Colours to four units of the IAF, Murmu said she believed that more and more women will sign up for the force and serve the nation and emphasised that increased representation of women in the force will make it "more inclusive". She also extended her wishes to women on International Women's Day. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The IAF's contribution to the nation's service in protecting the country is "etched in golden letters", she said. "It is a matter of joy that the IAF is not only guarding our skies but also making a paramount contribution to India's space programme," the President said. The President said the

Droupadi Murmu presents President's Standard to 45 Squadron, 221 Squadron

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday presented the President's Standard and Colours to four Indian Air Force units. Two squadrons -- 45 Squadron and the 221 Squadron -- received the President's Standard while the 11 Base Repair Depot and 509 signal unit received the President's Colours at a ceremony held at the Hindan Air Force Station here. This is the first time that four units of the IAF have received the President's Standard and Colours together. The President's Standard and Colours is the highest military honour for any armed forces unit. The four units selected for the coveted awards have stellar contributions to the IAF's history. The 45 Squadron, also called the 'Flying Daggers', was raised in 1959. The squadron took part in 'Operation Vijay' for the liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule in 1960. The 221 squadron is known as the 'Valiants'. It was raised on February 14, 1963, in Barrackpore equipped with Vampire aircraft. Barely two years after its formation, the squadron w

Govt clears project to develop AMCA 5th generation stealth fighter aircraft

The project would see the prototype manufactured by industry including the public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, they said