Skies of courage: India's air warriors turn ninety-four

Every aircraft that thunders across an Indian sky carries more than fuel and firepower. It carries the labour of a technician who checked each bolt before dawn, the nerve of a pilot trusting that work with his life, and the quiet worry of a family waiting at home. On 8 October 2026, the nation salutes all of them as the Indian Air Force completes 94 years of service.

The story began on 8 October 1932, when India was still under British rule and the young force existed only to assist Britain's Royal Air Force. Its first operational unit, No. 1 Squadron, took shape in 1933. When India became a republic in 1950, the prefix "Royal" was dropped, and the force became wholly the nation's own. Since then it has been tested repeatedly: in the Jammu and Kashmir operations of 1947–48, in the wars of 1965 and 1971, on the heights of Kargil, and most recently in Operation Sindoor. That is why this date matters. It honours the bravery, commitment and sacrifice of everyone in blue, from pilots to ground crew to support staff, who together keep the country's airspace safe.

From those modest beginnings has grown one of the world's most formidable air arms. The Global Air Powers Ranking 2026 places the IAF sixth overall, on a list that also counts other flying branches of a country's military, such as the aviation wings of the US Navy and US Army. The top five are the United States Air Force (242.9 points, 5,004 active aircraft), the United States Navy (142.4 points, 2,504 aircraft), the Russian Air Force (114.2 points, 3,677 aircraft), United States Army Aviation (112.6 points, 4,333 aircraft) and United States Marine Corps Aviation (85.3 points, 1,211 aircraft). Compare only independent air forces, however, and India stands third, behind just the United States Air Force and Russia.

The IAF scores 69.4 points on the TrueValue Rating, or TVR, with 1,716 active aircraft. Think of TVR as a report card for an air force. It does not merely count aeroplanes; it weighs what kinds of aircraft a force has and how well that mix can handle different jobs.

This year's theme sums up that spirit in three words: "Indian Air Force – Infallible, Impervious and Precise." Infallible means something you can always count on, like a goalkeeper who never lets the ball slip past; for the IAF, it means completing an important mission successfully. Impervious means so well protected that nothing harmful gets through, like a good raincoat in a downpour; for the IAF, it means defending against an enemy attack. Precise means exactly on target, like an archer whose arrow lands in the centre of the board; for the IAF, it means hitting the intended target accurately. Last year's theme, "Saksham, Sashakt, Atmanirbhar" (capable, powerful and self-reliant), celebrated India's effort to build its own aircraft, such as the Tejas, the AMCA and the Light Combat Helicopter.

The heart of the celebrations will beat at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, near Delhi, which hosts the official parade after three years. A full rehearsal was completed on 6 October. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh will review the marching contingents, after which Presidential Awards will be presented. Mi-17 helicopters will fly past bearing the National Flag, the IAF flag and the Operation Sindoor flag. Then comes the grand flypast: Rafale, Su-30MKI, MiG-29 and Tejas fighters, the giant C-17 transport, and Apache helicopters. The Air Chief has described the day as a chance to reflect on the past year and thank the veterans who built the force.

On the same day, Jodhpur Air Force Station will host a major air show led by the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team, whose aircraft fly together and perform carefully coordinated manoeuvres. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to attend, along with NCC cadets.

The festivities then travel to Kashi. A public air show over the Ganga at Varanasi is planned for 24, 25 and 26 October, with the main display on 25 October near Namo Ghat. Fighters, transport aircraft and aerobatic teams will take part in what is being described as a historic public air show for the region.

All this unfolds alongside Tarang Shakti 2026, an international air exercise running from 26 September to 12 October, where Indian crews train with foreign air forces, sharpen their coordination and share proven methods. In New Delhi, veterans will be honoured at special gatherings and anniversary meetings at Air Force stations and auditoriums.

Today the IAF guards the skies, fights for control of the air, ferries troops and supplies, keeps watch through surveillance, and reaches people struck by natural disasters. Ninety-four years on, those who serve remain its greatest strength.