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Reading facts about the Indian Air Force can help aspirants understand its history, significance, and role. Established in 1932, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is one of the most powerful air forces in the world. It has played a crucial role in guarding India’s air boundaries by participating in several major wars. Did you know the Indian Air Force also extends disaster relief in affected areas? Moreover, India also celebrates 8 October as Indian Air Force Day to commemorate its establishment. In this blog, you will read more interesting facts about the Indian Air Force, its history, and so much more. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Historical Facts About Indian Air Force
1. The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 by the British Empire.
2. After India gained independence, the prefix Royal was removed from the official name of the Air Force.
3. The first aircraft flight of the Indian Air Force came into being on 1 April 1933. It had six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys, also known as air soldiers.
4. In 1939, the Chatfield Committee approved raising five flights- Coastal Defence Flights (CDF).
5. It is the first among the Indian Armed Forces to introduce women into combat roles.
6. Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, and Mohana Singh together made the first batch of female fighter pilots.
7. It is the only elite special force to have used the Ilyushin Il-76 for Combat Airlift.
Interesting Facts About the Indian Air Force
1. The Indian Air Force is also known as Bharatiya Vayu Sena.
2. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the IAF.
3. More than 170,000 personnel are in service with the IAF.
4. The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest air force in the world in terms of aircraft and personnel.
5. It is the seventh-largest air force in the world.
6. The Indian Air Force has set a world record for achieving the highest landing on Ladakh. The landing was recorded at a height of 16604 ft above sea level.
7. The IAF has its elite special forces unit, popularly known as the Garud Commando Force. It was established in 2004.
8. Every year India celebrates October 8 as Indian Air Force Day at Hindon base.
9. The IAF safeguards Indian airspace and provides support during natural calamities.
10. The IAF provides India with the capacity to carry out Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, rapid response evacuation, and fast delivery of relief supplies to affected areas.
11. The IAF is divided into 5 operational and 2 functional commands.
12. Each command of the IAF is supervised by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of Air Marshal.
13. Touch the Sky with Glory is the official motto of the Indian Air Force. It was taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
Also Read: Interesting Facts about Indian Army
7 Commands of the Indian Air Force and their Headquarters
The Indian Air Force (IAF) consists of multiple commands, each responsible for particular operations and duties. Together, these commands maintain the air security of the country by defending. Here is a list of the 7 commands of the Indian Air Force and their headquarters in India.
| Command of the IAF | Headquarters |
| Eastern Air Command | Shillong |
| South-Western Air Command | Gandhinagar |
| Southern Air Command | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Western Air Command | New Delhi |
| Central Air Command | Allahabad |
| Maintenance Command | Nagpur |
| Training Command | Bangalore |
Indian Air Force Fighter Planes List
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is renowned for its fighter planes, each designed to play a specific role and ensure the success of missions. These aircraft are also capable of supporting various operational needs and conducting strikes.
| Name | Type of aircraft |
| C 17 GlobeMaster | Military transport aircraft |
| Apache | Tandem-rotor helicopter |
| ALH | Utility helicopter |
| Chinook | Tandem-rotor helicopter |
| LCA Tejas | Multirole combat aircraft |
| Rafale | Multirole fighter aircraft |
| C130 J Hercules | Military transport aircraft |
| PC-7 MKH Pilatus | – |
| Hawk | Tandem-seat Aircraft |
| Sarang | HAL Dhruv helicopters |
| Skat | – |
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FAQs
Some interesting facts about the Indian Air Force include that it was established on 8 October 1932, it has an elite special force unit known as the Garud Commando Force, and lastly, the IAF is the first among the Indian Armed Forces to welcome women into combat roles.
Subroto Mukherjee, the first Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Airforce, is known as the Indian Air Force.
The Motto of the Indian Air Force is, “Touch the sky with Glory.”
Hope you had fun reading interesting facts about Indian Air Force. If you want to know more about topics like this, then visit our Interesting Facts and General Knowledge page!