Page 7 - Indian Air Force

Air Chief meets PM Modi amid Indo-Pak tensions after Pahalgam attack

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is understood to have discussed the security situation arising out of the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The meeting came less than 24 hours after Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi apprised the prime minister on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea. The Air chief held a meeting with PM Modi, sources said without giving further details. There is no official word on the Modi-Singh meeting yet. Citing "cross-border linkages" to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the strike. In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass, Prime Minister Modi on last Tuesday gave the armed forces "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of the response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Modi also emphasised the nationa

IAF conducts night drill with fighter jets on Ganga Expressway airstrip

The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted night-time combat drills involving fighter jets on the country's first expressway airstrip on the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district, officials said Saturday. The drill, which took place between 7 pm and 10 pm on Friday, saw fighter jets Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000 simulate touch-and-go landings and combat operations on the 3.5-kilometre airstrip near Piru village under the Jalalabad Police Station limits. Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi told PTI, "Multiple fighter jets carried out successful sorties as part of a night operational exercise. The drill involved precision landings, coordinated take-offs, and tactical operations by jets such as Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and M-32." More than 250 CCTV cameras were mounted on and around the airstrip for surveillance and security. "This ensures safe operations and quick response in case of any untoward incidents," he said. Traffic was halted for nearly

Top 10 countries with most powerful air forces in 2025; Know India's rank

Leading with the most powerful air force globally is the United States Air Force, owing to its variety of cutting-edge aircraft like stealth fighters and strategic bombers

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes charge as AOC-in-C of SW Air Command

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, a highly experienced fighter pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours to his credit, on Thursday took charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the South Western Air Command (SWAC). He succeeds Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who is set to take charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff on May 2. South Western Air Command is headquartered in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. On arrival, he was presented with a ceremonial guard of honour at the headquarters in Gandhinagar. The air marshal graduated from the National Defence Academy in December 1985 and commissioned in the IAF on December 6, 1986, according to a statement shared by the IAF. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot, a qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader who has flown a variety of combat and trainer aircraft, it said. The air marshal has flown all variants of MiG-21 and the MiG-29 with more than 3,400 flying hours to his credit. He is also an alumnus of the Defence .

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes over as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, an accomplished fighter pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, on Thursday assumed charge as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), considered to be a key position at the headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff. He succeeds Lt Gen JP Mathew who superannuated on Wednesday. Before assuming charge, Air Marshal Dixit laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, and paid homage to the fallen soldiers. In a distinguished career spanning close to four decades, the Air Marshal has held a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments, and has been conferred with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal for his services. Prior to taking over as CISC, Air Marshal Dixit was serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command. He focused on enhancing operational readiness and fostering coordination with other services in Uttar Bharat and central region. The Air Marsha

Shubhanshu Shukla set to become first Indian to fly to ISS on May 29

Indian Air Force's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history on May 29 as the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, piloting the Axiom Mission 4

Road rage case: HC bars police from coercive action against IAF officer

Karnataka High Court has restrained the Bengaluru city police from initiating any coercive steps against Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose in connection with a road rage case. The interim direction was issued by Justice Hemant Chandangoudar on April 24, following a petition filed by the officer challenging the FIR lodged against him. The incident took place near C V Raman Nagar on 21 April. Initially, the police registered an FIR based on a complaint lodged by Bose, alleging he was assaulted by Vikas Kumar S J, a call centre employee. Subsequently, a counter-complaint was lodged by Kumar, leading to a second FIR being registered against the IAF officer. In its interim order, the court instructed the police not to take any coercive steps against Bose or summon him without adhering to proper legal procedure. It also directed that the chargesheet in the case should not be filed without the court's prior permission. The court, however, noted that the petitioner must ...

IAF Corporal from Arunachal one of the victims of Pahalgam: CM Khandu

An Indian Air Force Corporal, hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, was one of the victims of the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said Corporal Tage Hailyang was visiting Pahalgam with his wife. Reports said Corporal Hailyang was posted at the Indian Air Force base in Srinagar. "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Corporal Tage Hailyang of the Indian Air Force, a brave son of Arunachal Pradesh who hailed from Tajang village in Lower Subansiri. While visiting Pahalgam with his wife, his life was cruelly taken in a senseless act of terror," Khandu wrote on 'X'. The chief minister said the officer served the nation with courage and honour, and his untimely death is a great loss not only to his family but to the entire country. "Our thoughts are with his loved ones, especially his wife who survived this horrific incident. May they find strength and solace in this unimaginable time of grief. We will always remember Corporal ..

FIR filed against IAF wing commander: What is the Bengaluru road rage case

IAF Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose claimed that a bike rider assaulted him, saying, 'This is Kannada land'

IAF officer booked for assaulting call centre worker in Bengaluru road rage

An FIR has been registered against a 40-year-old IAF officer based on a counter-complaint by a call centre employee, who was previously arrested on the officer's complaint in a road rage incident, police said on Tuesday. Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose made an allegation in a video he shared that he was attacked and verbally abused by a group of Kannada-speaking individuals who chased him on a bike in Bengaluru early Monday morning. Terming it a case of road rage, police arrested Vikas Kumar, who works as a team head at a software company's call centre. Both parties have attacked each other, and some purported videos showed the IAF officer roughing up the accused, creating a scene for the onlookers. The officer was captured engaging in an argument with Kumar and beating him up in full public view, even as his wife tried to stop him. The incident occurred while the officer was on his way to the airport with his wife, who is also an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer. A c

India, France to sign biggest Rafale-Marine fighter jet deal on April 28

The French Minister is expected to reach India on Sunday evening and return on Monday late evening

India's armed forces struggle with preparedness amid rising strategic risks

The real issue isn't the navy but the Indian Air Force, which is known to be understrength and will likely be even less capable a few years from now unless New Delhi starts thinking long term

Myanmar quake: Indian Air Force relief aircraft faced GPS spoofing

According to an Indian government source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the GPS spoofing attempt was thwarted early during India's humanitarian operation in Myanmar

IAF's losses: Jet crashes bring focus on simulation training of pilots

The death of a young pilot and three fighter jet crashes prompt the question - should there be more simulation training?

Think long-term: Rafale-M deal good, but IAF's bigger needs remain

The question now is how to fill the increasingly urgent needs of the IAF. It is worth recalling that the desired strength of the IAF is 42 squadrons, though it now has 31 squadrons

Jaguar fighter jet crash: Injured pilot moved to army hospital in Kirkee

A pilot injured in the Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter plane crash in Jamnagar district of Gujarat on April 2 has been shifted to the Military Hospital in Kirkee in Pune. The two-seater IAF Jaguar aircraft airborne from Jamnagar airfield had crashed during a night mission, killing Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, while Group Captain Manish Kumar Singh (43) of 224 Squadron of the IAF in Jamnagar, sustained injuries. "Diagnosed with a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in the right leg and having received flame burn injuries in the incident, Singh initially was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar but on Thursday was shifted to Military Hospital (MH), Kirkee. His condition is stable," Army Medical Corps sources said. MH Khadki is the premier orthopaedic institute of the armed forces. It is also the only centre in the armed forces catering exclusively to spinal cord injuries, they added. Since spinal cord injuries are relatively common in ejection injuries, patients

One IAF pilot dead after Jaguar crashes near Jamnagar, inquiry ordered

IAF further stated that one of the pilots tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during the ejection, while the second pilot is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar

Jaguar fighter jet crashes in Jamnagar; one pilot safe, another missing

A Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed at a village near Jamnagar IAF station in Gujarat on Wednesday night while on a training mission with one of the pilots ejecting safely, police officials said. The second pilot was missing, they said. The fighter jet crashed in an open field at Suvarda village, nearly 12km from Jamnagar city and caught fire, said District SP Premsukh Delu. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. "While one pilot safely ejected before the crash, another one is still missing. The aircraft caught fire after the crash landing. Police and firefighters have rushed to the spot and started searching for the missing pilot," said Delu.

IAF to join 12-day multinational wargame in Greece starting Monday

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in a 12-day mega wargame in Greece beginning Monday that is aimed at simulating modern-day air warfare challenges. The assets deployed by the IAF for the biennial INIOCHOS-25 exercise at the Andravida air base include Su-30 MKI fighter jets along with combat enabler IL-78 and C-17 Globemaster aircraft. "The exercise will further reinforce India's strategic partnerships-and bolster its capabilities in joint operations with friendly nations," the IAF said on Sunday. The exercise, being hosted by the Hellenic air force, will take place from March 31 to April 11. It serves as a platform for air forces to hone their skills, exchange tactical knowledge, and strengthen military ties. "The exercise will integrate multiple air and surface assets from fifteen countries under realistic combat scenarios, designed to simulate modern-day air warfare challenges," the IAF said in a statement on Sunday. "The IAF looks forward to participating in Exercis

Bandhan Bank inks MoU with Indian Air Force for corporate salary account

Private lender Bandhan Bank on Wednesday said it has inked an MoU with the Indian Air Force to provide corporate salary accounts to the defence personnel. The Bandhan Bank Shaurya Salary Account' will have features like zero balance savings account, protection for self and family, and attractive interest rates, the lender said in a statement. "Bandhan Bank, with its pan Indian presence, is deeply committed to support the nation through every initiative. We are excited to strengthen our partnership with the IAF to deliver superior banking experience," Executive Director and Chief Business Officer Rajinder Babbar said. The RBI has appointed Bandhan Bank as an agency bank. The lender has been also authorised by the Central Board of Direct Taxes for collection of taxes, and disbursement of central civil and railway pensions. Bandhan Bank currently has 6,300 banking outlets, with total business touching Rs 2.73 lakh crore, the statement said.