Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha

PVSM AVSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force

1. On the occasion of the 83rd Anniversary of Indian Air Force, I extend my warm felicitations to all Air-Warriors, NCs(E), DSC personnel, Civilians and their families. My special greetings to our esteemed Air Veterans and their families.

2. Over the last eight decades Indian Air Force has modernised itself into a professional force that ranks amongst the most competent and respected Air Forces in the world. I am proud of our operational achievements in the last one year in spite of resource constraint and challenging conditions. The competence and synergy displayed by everyone is indicative of a well-trained cohesive team striving for victory against all odds. The forthcoming ‘Air Force’ level exercise will be a genuine test of our professionalism and prowess. I urge each one of you to remain anchored to our core values and continue honing your skills with single minded devotion.

3. Over the years IAF has taken great strides in transforming itself into a formidable force with multi-spectrum capability. The challenges of transformation in terms of creation of appropriate infrastructure, training of Air-Warriors in absorbing high-end technology and expeditious operationalisation of weapon systems are being met through dedicated hard work and professional competence. With the induction of new generation aircraft, IAF has acquired greater capacity for air-lift and strategic reach which has enabled effective conduct of Out of Area Contingency Operations. Forthcoming inductions such as MMRCA, Attack Helicopters, Heavy Lift Helicopters, Force Enhancers, SAGW and AD radars along with upgrading of airfield infrastructure and communications network will provide unprecedented operational capabilities to the IAF. We need to train extensively so as to exploit these capabilities effectively.

4. Our Nation reposes a high degree of trust in our capabilities to respond promptly and effectively to any contingency. The recent earthquake in Nepal caused catastrophic damage to life and property and disrupted normal life. Major rescue operation ‘Op Maitri’ was launched and IAF swiftly responded to meet the challenge. With total disregard to personal safety and comfort, Air-Warriors braved daunting challenges and saved precious lives. With fixed wing aircraft deployed for logistic supplies and mass evacuation and helicopters deployed round the clock for rescue and relief operations, a major Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief mission was undertaken successfully by IAF. High serviceability and availability of assets during the operations speaks volumes of the professionalism and operational capability of our Service and my compliments to all who made this possible. Air support provided during the evacuation of Indian Nationals from war-torn Yemen, search and rescue operations and continual air maintenance missions flown towards Op Triveni and Army Air Maintenance have earned us accolades from the entire Nation. The IAF will continue to remain exclusive for its exceptional professional standards but totally inclusive when it comes to serving the people of India.

5. While we forge ahead to charter new frontiers, we must not lose focus in ensuring the highest degree of security of our assets. New security measures have been instituted and SOPs revised to counter any kind of threat to our bases. Procurement of state of the art equipment will further bolster our security capacities to address the concerns.

6. Our people are our most valuable assets and in consonance with IAF’s vision “People First Mission Always” we have reviewed our Human Resources Policies to ensure professional growth of our Air-Warriors. A strong, motivated and a cohesive team is the key to success, which is dependent on the professional competency of each member. Therefore, each Air-Warrior must aim to achieve high degree of professional knowledge and exemplary standards. Creation and upgradation of infrastructure for sports and games, living accommodation and auditoriums have provided an impetus to enhanced quality of life and standard of living of our personnel.

7. As we rededicate ourselves today, we take the opportunity to pay tribute to our veterans and acknowledge their outstanding contributions. Events towards ‘Commemoration of 1965 War’ were organised throughout the year especially to honour our martyrs and war veterans. We are immensely indebted to our brave pioneers who endured tremendous hardship during the formative years of the IAF. On behalf of all serving Air-Warriors, I salute their tenacity and leadership. Their vision will always serve as a beacon and will guide us in the completion of our mission with honour and pride.

8. Once again my wife, Lily and I convey our greetings to all AirWarriors, NCs(E), DSC personnel, civilians, esteemed Air Veterans and families and wish you continued success in all future endeavours.

Jai Hind!