Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends greetings to the Indian Air Force on the 88th Air Force Day today. 

The PM congratulated the ‘brave warriors’ with a tweet in Hindi which roughly translates to: “Many congratulations to all the brave warriors of the Indian Air Force on Air Force Day. You not only keep the skies of the country safe, but also play a leading role in the service of humanity in times of disaster. Your courage, valor and dedication to protect Maa Bharati is inspiring everyone.”

On the ocassion, President Ram Nath too Kovind honoured the air warriors, veterans and the families of IAF saying that the nation remains indebted to their contribution in securing the skies.

President Kovind tweeted: “On Air Force Day, we proudly honour our air warriors, veterans, and families of the Indian Air Force. The nation remains indebted to the contribution of the IAF in securing our skies and assisting civil authorities in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.”

“The ongoing process of modernisation with induction of Rafale, Apache and Chinook will transform the IAF into an even more formidable strategic force. Confident that in the years to come, the Indian Air Force will continue to maintain its high standards of commitment and competence,” he said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, the IAF Day Parade is scheduled to take place at the Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad onOctober 8. Full-dress rehearsals were held on Wednesday by the various squadrons.

The IAF was established on October 8, 1932, in undivided India which was under the British rule. It was given the prefix “Royal” by King George VI for its contribution during the Second World War. The prefix was later dropped in 1950 when India became a republic.

(With inputs from agencies)