Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC

On the occasion of the 85th Anniversary of the Indian Air Force, I extend my warm felicitations to all Air Warriors, NCs(E), DSC personnel, Civilians and their families. My special greetings to our esteemed Air Veterans and their families.

Air Force Day is celebrated not just to mark the inception of IAF but also in recognition of the courage and bravery with which our Air Warriors executed missions under challenging conditions in war and peace, many of whom made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The Indian Air Force today stands at the threshold of acquiring, multi-spectrum strategic capabilities, synonymous with India’s growing regional stature and expanding national interests. In the year gone by, IAF has continued to grow from strength to strength.

War or Peace IAF remains the first responder. Towards Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, IAF’s response as always has been swift and prompt. Without regard to personal comfort and safety our brave Air Warriors flew in challenging weather conditions to rescue stranded countrymen during floods in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar. Fire fighting effort was carried out to douse forest fires in J&K, Gangtok, Thiruvananthapuram and Rajasthan. Assistance was extended to address the law and order situation in Imphal, Srinagar by-elections, airlift of RBI teams during demonetisation and to the Amarnath Yatris in the aftermath of terrorist attacks.

The uncertainties in present geo-political environment may require IAF to act in varied challenging situations. Our foremost responsibility is to protect our country from foreign aggression. The nature of conflict in the present environment may require us to fight short and swift wars for which we need to be alert and prepared to fight at a short notice. We also face sub-conventional threats on our assets by terrorists, for which we continue to bolster our defence and preparedness.

The welfare and well-being of our personnel and their families is of utmost importance. Creation and upgradation of infrastructure for sports and games, living accommodation, shopping complexes, schools and auditoriums to enhance the quality of life and standards of living of our personnel is being carried out at all air bases.

On this special day, we take the opportunity to pay tribute to our veterans and acknowledge their outstanding contributions. It is our responsibility to follow our inherited core values, develop our skills and hone our professionalism so as to deliver success in any mission in service to our nation so that we always ‘Touch the Sky with Glory’.

My best wishes to SP’s Aviation team for informative & credible reporting. On behalf of all Air Warriors I compliment SP’s Aviation team for the special issue on Air Force Day and wish them success in all their future endeavours.

Jai Hind!

AIR CHIEF MARSHAL
CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF
INDIAN AIR FORCE