Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its main task is to secure Indian airspace and to fight the air war in any armed conflict. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of British India, and the current service took its present name when India became a republic in January 1950. The President of India is its Supreme Commander, while a four-star Chief of the Air Staff holds most of the operational command. Since 1950 it has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan, and it has also carried out operations such as Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai, and taken part in United Nations peacekeeping missions.