Air Force Celebrates its 87th birth anniversary with grand celebrations at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad!

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria today said the Indian Air Force (IAF) needs to be alert at all times amid the "present security environment in the neighbourhood".

Addressing IAF personnel and their families on the 87th birth anniversary of the Air Force, he said all "Air Warriors should serve with great integrity at all times".

The Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated its 87th birth anniversary with a grand event at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad.

The day is significant for another reason – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will take delivery of India’s newest multirole fighter jet Rafale in France today. At Hindon, several IAF transport planes, helicopters and fighter jets participated in a flypast with Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria in attendance. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat attended the event.

Two squadrons of the Indian Air Force (IAF) including the one to which Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman belonged were awarded citations by Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria today for the successful air strike on a camp of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan, in February.

A Signal Unit was also given the citation for stopping Pakistan’s attempt to strike at Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27.

The honours were handed out on a day when the IAF celebrated its 87 birth anniversary with a flypast by several aircraft at Hindon Air Base near Delhi.