The Indian Air Force is theair arm of the armed forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting arerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace.
It was established in 1932 as the air force of the Indian Empire and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in recognition of its services during the World War II After India achieved its independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Union of India and after India became a republic in 1950, the prefix was dropped.
With a strength of approximately 170,000 personnel, 1,130 combat and 1,700 non-combat aircraft in active service, the Indian Air Force is the world's fourth largest. In recent years, the IAF has undertaken an ambitious expansion and modernization program and is increasingly used for India's power projection beyond South Asia. Among the various expansion plans is the MRCA program under which the IAF plans to induct 126 fighter jets at a cost of US$12 billion.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the IAF conducted a parratrooping operation from Safdarjang, then known as Willingdon Airfield, to Srinagar airfield at 09:30 hours IST on 27 October. This was the most instrumental action of the war as the paratroopers played a crucial role in blocking the advance of Pakistan militants and Pakistani regular soldiers in the disguise of tribal people.
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