The Indian Air Force (IAF) displayed its prowess as it held a massive parade at the Hindon Air Base to celebrate the 93rd Indian Air Force Day.The parade featured fighter jets such as Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, and MiG-29, along with India's indigenous Netra AEW & C, the C-17 Globemaster III, the indigenous Akash Surface-to-Air Missile System, the C-130J Hercules, Apache attack helicopters fitted with Longbow radar, and the Advanced Light Helicopter.The IAF parade also highlighted the achievements of Operation Sindoor.Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh inspected the parade at Hindon Air Base and took the salute at the parade held at Hindon Air Base as part of the Air Force Day celebrations.Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi paid tribute to the soldiers at the National War Memorial on the occasion of 93rd Air Force Day.CDS, along .
Today, October 8, 2025, marks the 93rd Air Force Day of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The primary event took place at Ghaziabad's Hindon Air Force Base and was streamed live on official platforms
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted Air Force personnel on the Air Force Day, and said they have played a vital role in safeguarding Indian skies during the most challenging situations. Modi said, "Greetings to all the courageous Air Warriors and their families on Air Force Day. The Indian Air Force epitomises bravery, discipline and precision. They have played a vital role in safeguarding our skies, including during the most challenging situations." Their role during natural calamities is also very commendable, Modi said, asserting that their commitment, professionalism and indomitable spirit make every Indian proud.
Expert opinion calls "defence in depth" vital for airspace security
As India bids farewell to its first supersonic fighter jet, the MiG-21's final flight marks both the end of an era and a warning for the future
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said that the air force is actively monitoring global advancements in air power, which could inform updates to the roadmap over time
IAF Chief AP Singh said 4-5 Pakistani jets, including F-16s and JF-17s, were destroyed during Operation Sindoor; radars, runways, hangars, a SAM system and a C-130 were also hit
As the Indian Air Force retires MiG-21 jets today, take a look at India's first supersonic fighter that catapulted India into the jet age with a combat record that is both celebrated and controversial
After 62 years of service, the MiG-21 has finally taken its last flight in the Indian Air Force. Once called the backbone of India’s air defence, this jet was fast, fierce, and battle-tested.
While the final Amca prototype is expected to take to the skies by 2029, final induction is projected for 2035, by which at least 8 IAF squadrons will have been retired
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said MiG 21 is not only an aircraft or a machine but a testimony to the deep ties between India and Russia. Singh was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the decommissioning ceremony of the Russian-origin MiG-21 at the Chandigarh Air Force Station here. The iconic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of Indian Air Force's combat fleet for over six decades, flew for the last time in Indian skies here on Friday, bringing the curtain down on a 62-year-long journey. The legendary MiG-21 fighter jets have been part of the IAF's combat fleet since the 1960s. Remembering the valour of the armed forces, Singh said the MiG 21 has a big contribution in their journey of bravery. "We gathered here for the final operational sortie of MiG 21. Being amongst you, I have emotions of pride and gratitude," Singh said. "When we are today giving a send-off to MiG 21 from its operational journey, I feel that we are giving a .
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said the use of Air Force would have slowed the Chinese offensive considerably during the 1962 Sino-Indian war and it may have been termed as "escalatory" then, but that is not the case now as seen in Operation Sindoor. Speaking about the war with China 63 years ago, he noted the forward policy should not have been applied uniformly to Ladakh and NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) or present-day Arunachal Pradesh, arguing the two regions had different histories of dispute and entirely different terrain, and following identical policies was flawed. Over the years, the security situation has changed and the face of warfare itself has got transformed, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) maintained. General Chauhan made the remarks in a recorded video message played during the release of the revised autobiography of the late Lieutenant General S P P Thorat - 'Reveille to Retreat' - in Pune. Lt Gen Thorat was the General Officer ...
India's proposed air defence system Sudarshan Chakra will be the "mother of all air defence systems combined together" and will include counter-drone, counter-UAV and counter-hypersonic systems among others, a top military official said on Tuesday. In his address at a conference 'Counter UAVs & Air Defence Systems: Future of Modern Warfare' here, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit also said that the adversary has learnt from Operation Sindoor and so "we will have to be two steps ahead" of them in military thinking and planning. The event saw participation of senior military officers, representatives of various firms in the defence industry and domain experts. Air Marshal Dixit gave references to the recent Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war and how relatively much cheaper drones have played a critical role in inflicting huge damage to expensive military assets of the other side. They have created an "innovation adaption cycle" and .
The Indian Air Force's elite Surya Kiran team enthralled people with skillful aerobatic feats during an air show at Maharaja Agrasen Airport Complex here on Sunday. A large number of people from Hisar and surrounding districts, along with officers and soldiers from the Army cantonment, their families, and students from Army Public School and National Cadet Corps witnessed the performance. Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said the air show is a source of inspiration for youth. The show conveyed a strong message of discipline, teamwork and unwavering patriotism, and each feat of the Surya Kiran aerobatic team reflected the spirit of the motto 'Sadaiva Sarvottam' (always the best), he said. He also expressed confidence that the youth will take pride in the country's armed forces and bring glory to the nation. Addressing the officers, soldiers and civilians, Saini said that Indian Air Force is a vital part of the nation's security shield. Under the .
The world has to learn a lesson from India on how to start and terminate a conflict at the earliest possible opportunity, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said on Friday, highlighting the clear goals set by India while carrying out Operation Sindoor. In an address at an event, the Air Chief Marshal said full freedom was given to the military for the operation and that no restrictions were imposed on it by the political leadership. Asserting that the primacy of the air power was on display during the May7-10 conflict with Pakistan, he said the S-400 missile system has turned out to be a game-changer as the enemy was in disarray in view of the range and power of the weapon. Air Chief Marshal Singh said many of Pakistan's military bases were damaged. "A lot of their infrastructure, radars, control and coordination centres, their hangars, aircraft, suffered a lot of damages," he said. The Indian Air Force Chief also took a pot-shot at those who sought proof of the effica
Since being inducted in 1963, the MiG-21 has seen action in every major conflict involving India
The armed forces also announced the setting up of three Joint Military Stations
The armed forces plan to acquire over 670 unmanned aerial vehicles across multiple categories, enhancing surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat capabilities
Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday underlined the primacy of land forces in any battlefield and said dominance over land will remain the currency of victory in India's context. In an address at an event here, he argued the importance of land forces in any war and referred to last month's summit talks between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on the Ukraine conflict. "When you go back to the Alaska conference that took place between the two presidents, they just discussed how much land has to exchange hands," Dwivedi said. "In India, since we have two-and-half-front threats, land will remain the currency of victory," he said. The chief of army staff's comments came two weeks after Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said Operation Sindoor had once again established the "primacy" of air power. In his remarks, the army chief also extensively elaborated on the changing nature of warfare and how the Indian Army is carrying out transformative
The Armed Forces will host the Combined Commanders' Conference (CCC) 2025 in Kolkata, West Bengal, from September 15 to 17, 2025. The theme for this year's conference is 'Year of Reforms - Transforming for the Future', said a statement from the Ministry of Defence on Monday.The conference will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister and will also be graced by the Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Chief of Defence Staff and Defence Secretary. Secretaries from other Ministries are also likely to be present in addition to officers from the three Services and the Integrated Defence Staff.The CCC 2025 will focus on Reforms, Transformation & Change and Operational Preparedness. Together, these reflect the Armed Forces' commitment to institutional reforms, deeper integration and technological modernisation, while sustaining a high level of multi-domain operational readiness.The deliberations will seek to further strengthen the Armed Forces, which are agile .