Indian forces will gather on Oct. 8 to mark the 93rd Air Force Day, a celebration that will showcase the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) progress, technology, and humanitarian work. The week‑long festivities will be centered on Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s largest and most strategically important airfields.
The parade’s Full Dress Rehearsal took place Monday at Hindon, but rain forced a pause in the planned static aircraft display. The main event will still feature a lineup of cutting‑edge aircraft and systems that helped India gain a decisive edge in Operation Sindoor.
Viewers can see fighter jets such as the new Rafale, the Sukhoi Su‑30MKI, the MiG‑29, and the retired MiG‑21 Bison—an icon that served for more than six decades and played a role in deterring PAF movement during Sindoor. The display also includes the indigenous Netra AEW&C, the C‑17 Globemaster III, the Akash surface‑to‑air missile system, the C‑130J Hercules, Apache attack helicopters with Longbow radar, and the Advanced Light Helicopter. A Rohini S‑band radar will also be on show.
Highlights from the IAF’s recent international deployments will be projected. Pilots will recount participation in exercises like Desert Knight in Saudi Arabia, Red Flag Alaska in the United States, Udara Dara Shakti in Malaysia, and Bright Star in Egypt, underscoring India’s growing military cooperation worldwide.
That same day, the IAF will spotlight Group Captain Shubhan Shukla’s historic mission. He completed the first Indian pilot flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025, a milestone that ties Iran’s air power to space exploration.
The IAF has also used its platforms for humanitarian relief. Earlier this year the force flew rescue missions and medical airlifts across Uttarkashi, Punjab, and even overseas during the Myanmar earthquake.
The fly‑past, scheduled for mid‑November in Guwahati, will be a highlight for aviation enthusiasts and a showcase of India’s expanding air capabilities.
In a press briefing on Friday, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, the IAF’s top commander, reviewed the force’s achievements in Operation Sindoor. He said the IAF destroyed 12 to 13 Pakistani combat aircraft, including several F‑16s, JF‑17s, a C‑130 transport, and two spy planes. Air Chief Marshal Singh also outlined precision strikes on key radar sites, command centers, runways, and hangars that severely limited Pakistan’s operational reach. He added that the IAF’s long‑range LRSAM S‑400 squadron hit a Pakistani airborne early‑warning aircraft from over 300 km, marking the longest kill in the conflict.
The commander praised the S‑400 as a formidable system while noting India is fast‑tracking its own long‑range surface‑to‑air missile development. Air Chief Marshal Singh dismissed Pakistani claims of shooting down IAF jets as “man‑ohar kahaniyan”—baseless stories—pointing out India has ample video and sensor evidence of target damage.
He framed the May conflict as a decisive response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives. By acting quickly and with clear objectives, India ended the confrontation swiftly, setting a precedent for future operations.
The upcoming Air Force Day celebrations promise a vibrant display of India’s air power, a salute to its past heroes, and a glimpse of its future ambitions.
Source: aninews
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