“नभःस्पृशं दीप्तम्” “Nabhaḥ spr̥śaṁ dīptam” “Touch the Sky with Glory”
Today the Indian Year Air force is celebrating its 82nd year of its establishment. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire and the prefix Royal was added in 1945 in recognition of its services during World War II. After India achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Dominion of India, with the prefix being dropped when India became a republic in 1950. Since independence, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighboring Pakistan and one with the People’s Republic of China.