142-709: The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is a statutory office held by the professional head of the Indian Air Force (IAF) , the aerial branch of the Indian Armed Forces . Customarily held by a four-star air chief marshal , the CAS is the senior-most operational officer of the IAF, mandated with the responsibilities of supervising the force's overall functioning during states of peace and wartime, committing to
284-635: A benefit for an employee upon that employee's retirement is a defined benefit plan. In the U.S., corporate defined benefit plans, along with many other types of defined benefit plans, are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In the United Kingdom , benefits are typically indexed for inflation (known as Retail Prices Index (RPI)) as required by law for registered pension plans. Inflation during an employee's retirement affects
426-533: A squadron leader . Each flight consists of two sections. The smallest unit is the section, led by a flight lieutenant . Each section consists of three aircraft. Within this formation structure, IAF has several service branches for day-to-day operations. They are: Superannuation A pension ( / ˈ p ɛ n ʃ ən / ; from Latin pensiō 'payment') is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support
568-553: A MiG-21 and a Su30MKI were shot down, while India claims that only the MiG-21 was shot down. Indian officials rejected Pakistani claims of shooting down an Su-30MKI stating that it's impossible to hide an aircraft crash as of now in a populated area like Kashmir and said it's a coverup for the loss of F16. While the downed MiG-21's pilot had ejected successfully, he landed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and
710-537: A consequence, Air Vice Marshal Subroto Mukherjee - then the IAF's Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS), was promoted to rank of Air Marshal and succeeded him as the first native and first non-RAF C-in-C of the force. A year later, in 1955, the designation of C-in-C was shortened to simply Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955 ; as
852-453: A defined contribution plan depends upon the account balance at the time an employee is looking to use the assets. So, for this arrangement, the contribution is known but the benefit is unknown (until calculated). Despite the fact that the participant in a defined contribution plan typically has control over investment decisions, the plan sponsor retains a significant degree of fiduciary responsibility over investment of plan assets, including
994-496: A defined-benefit social security system, but is more controversial when applied to high levels of professional income. Why should younger generations pay for executive pensions which they themselves are unsure of collecting? Employers have sought ways of getting round this problem through pre-funding, but in civil-law countries have often been limited by the legal vehicles available. A suitable legal vehicle should ideally have three qualities. First, it should convince employees that
1136-423: A flying squadron or unit is a sub-unit of an air force station which carries out the primary task of the IAF. A fighter squadron consists of 18 aircraft; all fighter squadrons are headed by a commanding officer with the rank of wing commander . Some transport squadrons and helicopter units are headed by a commanding officer with the rank of group captain . Flights are sub-divisions of squadrons , commanded by
1278-452: A fund towards meeting the benefits. All plans must be funded in some way, even if they are pay-as-you-go, so this type of plan is more accurately known as pre-funded or fully-funded . The future returns on the investments, and the future benefits to be paid, are not known in advance, so there is no guarantee that a given level of contributions will be enough to meet the benefits. Typically, the contributions to be paid are regularly reviewed in
1420-617: A gas plant in Sindh. Similar strategy was also deployed in East Pakistan and as the IAF achieved complete air superiority on the eastern front, the ordnance factories, runways, and other vital areas of East Pakistan were severely damaged. By the time Pakistani forces surrendered, the IAF destroyed 94 PAF Aircraft The IAF was able to conduct a wide range of missions – troop support; air combat; deep penetration strikes; para-dropping behind enemy lines; feints to draw enemy fighters away from
1562-530: A good management of logistics came into help. This led to the eruption of full-scale war between India and Pakistan, though there was no formal declaration of war. During the war, the RIAF did not engage the Pakistan Air Force in air-to-air combat; however, a couple of IAF Hawker Tempest fighters did intercept a Pakistani Douglas DC-3 transport aircraft & tried to shoot it down but the pilot of
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#17327907560131704-485: A group of PAF Mirage-5 and JF-17 fighters allegedly conducted an airstrike against certain ground targets across the Line of Control . They were intercepted by a group of IAF fighters consisting of Su-30MKI and MiG-21 jets. An ensuing dogfight began. According to India, one PAF F-16 was shot down by an IAF MiG-21 piloted by Abhinandan Varthaman , while Pakistan denied use of F-16s in the operation. According to Pakistan,
1846-438: A new breed of collective risk sharing schemes where plan members pool their contributions and to a greater or less extent share the investment and longevity risk . There are multiple naming conventions for these plans reflecting the fact that the future payouts are a target or ambition of the plan sponsor rather than a guarantee, common naming conventions include: Defined contribution pensions, by definition, are funded, as
1988-699: A new designate to the position usually begins three months before the change-of-command, wherein the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reviews the résumés of the IAF's senior-most air marshals, which regularly includes the Vice Chief of the Air Staff and at-most three of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chiefs (AOC-in-C) of the force’s combatant commands. Appointments to the position are made by the Appointments Committee of
2130-407: A portion of the employee's contributions to be matched by the employer. In exchange, the funds in such plans may not be withdrawn by the investor prior to reaching a certain age—typically the year the employee reaches 59.5 years old (with a small number of exceptions)—without incurring a substantial penalty. Advocates of defined contribution plans point out that each employee has the ability to tailor
2272-533: A rebellion against Indian rule. This came to be known as the Second Kashmir War . This was the first time the IAF actively engaged an enemy air force. However, instead of providing close air support to the Indian Army , the IAF carried out independent raids against PAF bases. These bases were situated deep inside Pakistani territory, making IAF fighters vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. During
2414-528: A result of the Act, Mukherjee's tenure continued under the new designation, making him the last C-in-C. In January 2002, then-retired Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh , the IAF's third CAS, was promoted to the five-star rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force (MIAF), in recognition of his leadership during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War - which made him the only CAS-appointee to have ever been promoted to
2556-545: A result, HAL HF-24 Marut , designed by the famed German aerospace engineer Kurt Tank , were inducted into the air force. HAL also started developing an improved version of the Folland Gnat , known as HAL Ajeet . At the same time, the IAF also started inducting Mach 2 capable Soviet MiG-21 and Sukhoi Su-7 fighters. By late 1971, the intensification of the independence movement in East Pakistan lead to
2698-681: A show of force early that morning, making low-level passes over the islands. On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing Kargil conflict with the use of helicopters. The IAF strike was code named Operation Safed Sagar . The first strikes were launched on 26 May, when the Indian Air Force struck infiltrator positions with fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships . The initial strikes saw MiG-27s carrying out offensive sorties, with MiG-21s and later MiG-29s providing fighter cover. The IAF also deployed its radars and
2840-455: A similar stream of payments. The common use of the term pension is to describe the payments a person receives upon retirement, usually under predetermined legal or contractual terms. A recipient of a retirement pension is known as a pensioner or retiree . A retirement plan is an arrangement to provide people with an income during retirement when they are no longer earning a steady income from employment. Often retirement plans require both
2982-472: A specific amount of income throughout their retirement years. However this income is not usually guaranteed to keep up with inflation, so its purchasing power may decline over the years. On the other hand, defined contribution plans are dependent upon the amount of money contributed and the performance of the investment vehicles used. Employees are responsible for ensuring that their contributions are sufficient to provide for their retirement needs, and they face
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#17327907560133124-574: A tax break depending on the country and plan type. For example, Canadians have the option to open a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), as well as a range of employee and state pension programs. This plan allows contributions to this account to be marked as un-taxable income and remain un-taxed until withdrawal. Most countries' governments will provide advice on pension schemes. Social and state pensions depend largely upon legislation for their sustainability. Some have identified funds, but these hold essentially government bonds—a form of " IOU " by
3266-819: A tiered system. For a simplified example, suppose there are three employees that pay into a state pension system: Sam, Veronica, and Jessica. The state pension system has three tiers: Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III. These three tiers are based on the employee's hire date (i.e. Tier I covers 1 January 1980 (and before) to 1 January 1995, Tier II 2 January 1995 to 1 January 2010, and Tier III 1 January 2010 to present) and have different benefit provisions (e.g. Tier I employees can retire at age 50 with 80% benefits or wait until 55 with full benefits, Tier II employees can retire at age 55 with 80% benefits or wait until 60 for full benefits, Tier III employees can retire at age 65 with full benefits). Therefore, Sam, hired in June 1983, would be subject to
3408-653: A town in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Pakistan claimed that the Indian aircraft had only dropped bombs in the forest area demolishing pine trees near the Jaba village which is 19 kilometres (12 mi) away from Balakot and Indian officials claimed to bomb and kill a large number of terrorists in the airstrike. On 27 February 2019, in retaliation for the IAF bombing of an alleged terrorist hideout in Balakot,
3550-409: A valuation of the plan's assets and liabilities, carried out by an actuary to ensure that the pension fund will meet future payment obligations. This means that in a defined benefit pension, investment risk and investment rewards are typically assumed by the sponsor/employer and not by the individual. If a plan is not well-funded, the plan sponsor may not have the financial resources to continue funding
3692-668: Is a "contribution based" benefit, and depends on an individual's contribution history. For examples, see National Insurance in the UK, or Social Security in the United States of America. Many countries have also put in place a " social pension ". These are regular, tax-funded non-contributory cash transfers paid to older people. Over 80 countries have social pensions. Some are universal benefits, given to all older people regardless of income, assets or employment record. Examples of universal pensions include New Zealand Superannuation and
3834-401: Is a plan in which workers accrue pension rights during their time at a firm and upon retirement the firm pays them a benefit that is a function of that worker's tenure at the firm and of their earnings. In other words, a DB plan is a plan in which the benefit on retirement is determined by a set formula, rather than depending on investment returns. Government pensions such as Social Security in
3976-415: Is a type of employment-based Pension in the UK. The 401(k) is the iconic self-funded retirement plan that many Americans rely on for much of their retirement income; these sometimes include money from an employer, but are usually mostly or entirely funded by the individual using an elaborate scheme where money from the employee's paycheck is withheld, at their direction, to be contributed by their employer to
4118-828: Is also conducted at the Defence Services Staff College; specialised advanced flight training schools are located at Bidar , Karnataka and Hakimpet , Telangana (also the location for helicopter training). Technical schools are found at a number of other locations. Note: + = Functional Command A wing is a formation intermediate between a command and a squadron. It generally consists of two or three IAF squadrons and helicopter units, along with forward base support units (FBSU). FBSUs do not have or host any squadrons or helicopter units but act as transit airbases for routine operations. In times of war, they can become fully fledged air bases playing host to various squadrons. In all, about 47 wings and 19 FBSUs make up
4260-716: Is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of Air Marshal. The purpose of an operational command is to conduct military operations using aircraft within its area of responsibility, whereas the responsibility of functional commands is to maintain combat readiness . Aside from the Training Command at Bangalore, the primary flight training is done at the Air Force Academy (located in Hyderabad ), followed by operational training at various other schools. Advanced officer training for command positions
4402-516: Is legally no different from the portability of defined benefit plans. However, because of the cost of administration and ease of determining the plan sponsor's liability for defined contribution plans (you do not need to pay an actuary to calculate the lump sum equivalent that you do for defined benefit plans) in practice, defined contribution plans have become generally portable. In a defined contribution plan, investment risk and investment rewards are assumed by each individual/employee/retiree and not by
Chief of the Air Staff (India) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4544-403: Is taken as a directive meaning the IAF bears the responsibility of safeguarding Indian airspace and thus furthering national interests in conjunction with the other branches of the armed forces. The IAF provides close air support to the Indian Army troops on the battlefield as well as strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. The Integrated Space Cell is operated by the Indian Armed Forces ,
4686-465: Is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces . Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal . After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947,
4828-594: Is the national Commander-in-chief of the Air Force. The Chief of the Air Staff with the rank of Air chief marshal is the Commander In January 2002, the government conferred the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force on Arjan Singh making him the first and only Five-star officer with the Indian Air Force and ceremonial chief of the air force. The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands . Each Command
4970-660: The 2019 Pulwama attack that was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which killed forty servicemen of the Central Reserve Police Force , a group of twelve Mirage 2000 fighter planes from the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on alleged JeM bases in Chakothi and Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Furthermore, the Mirage 2000s targeted an alleged JeM training camp in Balakot ,
5112-524: The Ashoka Chakra . Around the same time, conflict broke out between them over the control of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir . With Pakistani forces moving into the state, its Maharaja decided to accede to India in order to receive military help. The day after, the Instrument of Accession was signed, the RIAF was called upon to transport troops into the war zone. And this was when
5254-520: The Bangladesh Liberation War between India and Pakistan. On 22 November 1971, 10 days before the start of a full-scale war, four PAF F-86 Sabre jets attacked Indian and Mukti Bahini positions at Garibpur , near the international border. Two of the four PAF Sabres were shot down and one damaged by the IAF's Folland Gnats . On 3 December, India formally declared war against Pakistan following massive preemptive strikes by
5396-512: The Budgam district . It was under the command of squadron leaders Siddarth Vashista and Ninad Mandavgane and crashed within ten minutes of take-off from the Srinagar air base. Four other IAF personnel were flight engineer Vishal Kumar Pandey, sergeant Vikrant Sehrawat, corporals Deepak Pandey and Pankaj Kumars that were killed along with two pilots. In October 2019, IAF confirmed that the helicopter
5538-664: The Burma Theatre IAF pilots participated in air operations in North Africa and Europe . In addition to the IAF, many native Indians and some 200 Indians resident in Britain volunteered to join the RAF and Women's Auxiliary Air Force . One such volunteer was Sergeant Shailendra Eknath Sukthankar, who served as a navigator with No. 83 Squadron. Sukthankar was commissioned as an officer, and on 14 September 1943, received
5680-758: The DFC . Squadron Leader Sukthankar eventually completed 45 operations, 14 of them on board the RAF Museum's Avro Lancaster R5868 . Another volunteer was Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat Khan a Muslim pacifist and Indian nationalist who joined the WAAF, in November 1940, to fight against Nazism. Noor Khan served bravely as a secret agent with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France, but
5822-640: The Dominion of Pakistan . Along the lines of the geographical partition, the assets of the air force were divided between the new countries. India's air force retained the name of the Royal Indian Air Force, but three of the ten operational squadrons and facilities, located within the borders of Pakistan, were transferred to the Royal Pakistan Air Force . The RIAF Roundel was changed to an interim 'Chakra' roundel derived from
Chief of the Air Staff (India) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-513: The F-86 Sabres of the PAF earning it the nickname "Sabre Slayers". By the time the conflict had ended, the IAF lost 60–70 aircraft, while the PAF lost 43 aircraft. More than 60% of IAF's aircraft losses took place in ground attack missions to enemy ground-fire, since fighter-bomber aircraft would carry out repeated dive attacks on the same target. According to, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh of
6106-609: The Line of Control in the Kel sector, following inputs about Pakistani military buildup near the sector. On 20 August 2013, the Indian Air Force created a world record by performing the highest landing of a C-130J at the Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip in Ladakh at the height of 5,065 metres (16,617 ft). The medium-lift aircraft will be used to deliver troops, supplies and improve communication networks. The aircraft belonged to
6248-484: The Medal of Honor qualify for a separate stipend. Retirement pay for military members in the reserve and US National Guard is based on a point system. Many countries have created funds for their citizens and residents to provide income when they retire (or in some cases become disabled). Typically this requires payments throughout the citizen's working life in order to qualify for benefits later on. A basic state pension
6390-543: The MiG-29 fighters in vast numbers to keep check on Pakistani military movements across the border. Srinagar Airport was at this time closed to civilian air-traffic and dedicated to the Indian Air Force. On 27 May, the Indian Air Force suffered its first fatality when it lost a MiG-21 and a MiG-27 in quick succession. The following day, while on an offensive sortie, a Mi-17 was shot down by three Stinger missiles and lost its entire crew of four. Following these losses
6532-642: The Portuguese Air Force , but to no avail. On 18 December, two waves of Canberra bombers bombed the runway of Dabolim airfield taking care not to bomb the Terminals and the ATC tower. Two Portuguese transport aircraft (a Super Constellation and a DC-6 ) found on the airfield were left alone so that they could be captured intact. However the Portuguese pilots managed to take off the aircraft from
6674-555: The Sri Lankan Civil War , and to provide humanitarian aid through an unarmed convoy of ships, the Indian Government decided to carry out an airdrop of the humanitarian supplies on the evening of 4 June 1987 designated Operation Poomalai ( Tamil : Garland) or Eagle Mission 4. Five An-32s escorted by four Mirage 2000 of 7 Sqn AF, 'The Battleaxes', carried out the supply drop which faced no opposition from
6816-600: The Veiled Vipers squadron based at Hindon Air Force Station . On 13 July 2014, two MiG-21s were sent from Jodhpur Air Base to investigate a Turkish Airlines aircraft over Jaisalmer when it repeated an identification code , provided by another commercial passenger plane that had already entered Indian airspace before it. The flights were on their way to Mumbai and Delhi, and the planes were later allowed to proceed after their credentials were verified. Following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after
6958-445: The "Bradley Commission") in 1955–56. Pensions may extend past the death of the veteran himself, continuing to be paid to the widow. In the U.S., retired military receive a military retirement pay , not called a "pension" as they can be recalled to active duty at any time. Military retirement pay is calculated on number of years on active duty, final pay grade and the retirement system in place when they entered service. Members awarded
7100-428: The "guarantee" made to employees is that specified (defined) contributions will be made during an individual's working life. There are many ways to finance a pension and save for retirement. Pension plans can be set up by an employer, matching a monetary contribution each month, by the state or personally through a pension scheme with a financial institution, such as a bank or brokerage firm. Pension plans often come with
7242-576: The Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force (CAS/C-in-C, RIAF) on 21 June - as a measure to reflect uniformity with the C-in-Cs of the post-independence Indian Army and the Royal Indian Navy . Upon India's establishment as a republic on 26 January 1950, the RIAF was rechristened as the Indian Air Force (IAF), dropping the Royal -prefix; subsequently, the position's designation
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#17327907560137384-636: The Basic Retirement Pension of Mauritius . Most social pensions, though, are means-tested, such as Supplemental Security Income in the United States of America or the "older person's grant" in South Africa . Some pension plans will provide for members in the event they suffer a disability . This may take the form of early entry into a retirement plan for a disabled member below the normal retirement age. The benefits of defined benefit and defined contribution plans differ based on
7526-610: The Cabinet (ACC) - comprising the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence , upon recommendation from Air HQ; appointees to the office are subsequently promoted to the rank of air chief marshal. During the initial years of the post-independence IAF, CAS-appointees were given one four-year term, with the possibility of extension; Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee was the longest serving chief – at 6 years, 7 months, 7 days, and
7668-877: The Chinese; especially in Jammu and Kashmir . On 24 April 1965, an Indian Ouragan strayed over the Pakistani border and was forced to land by a Pakistani Lockheed F-104 Starfighter , the pilot was returned to India; however, the captured aircraft would be kept by the Pakistan Air Force(PAF) and ended up being displayed at the PAF museum in Peshawar . Three years after the Sino-Indian conflict, in 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar , strategy of Pakistan to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir, and start
7810-482: The DC-3 ( Mukhtar Ahmad Dogar ) managed to evade the fighters. Other than that, it also provided effective transport and close air support to the Indian troops. When India became a republic in 1950, the prefix 'Royal' was dropped from the Indian Air Force. At the same time, the current IAF roundel was adopted. The IAF saw significant conflict in 1960, when Belgium's 75-year rule over Congo ended abruptly, engulfing
7952-417: The IAF has decreased to 33 squadrons during this period because of the retirement of older aircraft. Still, India maintains the fourth largest air force in the world. The IAF plans to raise its strength to 42 squadrons. Self-reliance is the main aim that is being pursued by the defence research and manufacturing agencies. On 10 August 1999, IAF MiG-21s intercepted a Pakistan Navy Breguet Atlantique which
8094-579: The IAF immediately withdrew helicopters from offensive roles as a measure against the threat of Man-portable air-defence systems (MANPAD). On 30 May, the Mirage 2000s were introduced in offensive capability, as they were deemed better in performance under the high-altitude conditions of the conflict zone. Mirage 2000s were not only better equipped to counter the MANPAD threat compared to the MiGs, but also gave IAF
8236-509: The IAF participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions . The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. As of 1 July 2017 , 170,576 personnel are in service with the Indian Air Force. The Chief of the Air Staff , an air chief marshal , is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air Force. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in
8378-892: The IAF played an instrumental role in halting the advance of the Japanese army in Burma , where the first IAF air strike was executed. The target for this first mission was the Japanese military base in Arakan , after which IAF strike missions continued against the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son , Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand . The IAF was mainly involved in strike , close air support , aerial reconnaissance , bomber escort and pathfinding missions for RAF and USAAF heavy bombers. RAF and IAF pilots would train by flying with their non-native air wings to gain combat experience and communication proficiency. Besides operations in
8520-404: The IAF, and is tasked with the following: In addition to these responsibilities, the CAS is also a permanent member of: The office's eminence in the aforementioned groups thus grants the appointee with the role to advise the Minister of Defence ( Raksha Mantri or RM) on the affairs related to the IAF's functioning and the promotion of an comprehensive integrated planning policy with respect to
8662-431: The IAF. Statutorily, the CAS ranks 12th-overall in the Indian order of precedence , and is the IAF's status-equivalent of the Chief of Defence Staff , the Chief of the Army Staff and the Chief of the Naval Staff - all three positions of which are also occupied by four-star officers from the armed forces. Seated at Air Headquarters (Air HQ) , stationed in New Delhi , the CAS is the senior-most operational officer of
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#17327907560138804-416: The IAF. Wings are typically commanded by an air commodore . Within each operational command are anywhere from nine to sixteen bases or stations. Smaller than wings, but similarly organised, stations are static units commanded by a group captain . A station typically has one wing and one or two squadrons assigned to it. Squadrons are the field units and formations attached to static locations. Thus,
8946-632: The IAF. The rank of Marshal of the Air Force has been conferred by the President of India on one occasion in history, to Arjan Singh . On 26 January 2002, Singh became the first and so far, only five-star rank officer of the IAF. The IAF's mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947 , the Constitution of India , and the Air Force Act of 1950. It decrees that in the aerial battlespace : Defence of India and every part there of including preparation for defence and all such acts as may be conducive in times of war to its prosecution and after its termination to effective demobilisation. In practice, this
9088-535: The Indian Air Force, despite having been qualitatively inferior, IAF achieved air superiority in three days in the 1965 War . After the 1965 war, the IAF underwent a series of changes to improve its capabilities. In 1966, the Para Commandos regiment was created. To increase its logistics supply and rescue operations ability, the IAF inducted 72 HS 748s which were built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under licence from Avro . India started to put more stress on indigenous manufacture of fighter aircraft . As
9230-405: The Netherlands ($ 1.8T), Japan ($ 1.7T), Switzerland ($ 1.1T), Denmark ($ 0.8T), Sweden, Brazil and S. Korea (each $ 0.5T), Germany, France, Israel, P.R. China, Mexico, Italy, Chile, Belgium, Spain and Finland (each roughly $ 0.2T), etc. Without the vast body of common law to draw upon, statutory trusts tend to be more uniform and tightly regulated. However, pension assets alone are not a useful guide to
9372-490: The PAF against Indian Air Force installations in Srinagar, Ambala, Sirsa, Halwara and Jodhpur. However, the IAF did not suffer significantly because the leadership had anticipated such a move and precautions were taken. The Indian Air Force was quick to respond to Pakistani air strikes, following which the PAF carried out mostly defensive sorties . Within the first two weeks, the IAF had carried out almost 12,000 sorties over East Pakistan and also provided close air support to
9514-411: The Portuguese surrendered the former colony was integrated into India. In 1962, border disagreements between China and India escalated to a war when China mobilised its troops across the Indian border. During the Sino-Indian War , India's military planners failed to deploy and effectively use the IAF against the invading Chinese forces. This resulted in India losing a significant amount of advantage to
9656-415: The Social Security Reserve Fund and France set up the Pensions Reserve Fund ; in Canada the wage-based retirement plan (CPP) is partially funded, with assets managed by the CPP Investment Board while the U.S. Social Security system is partially funded by investment in special U.S. Treasury Bonds. In a funded plan, contributions from the employer, and sometimes also from plan members, are invested in
9798-475: The Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Another Mirage 2000 orbited 150 km away, acting as an airborne relay of messages to the entire fleet since they would be outside radio range once they descended to low levels. The Mirage 2000 escort formation was led by Wg Cdr Ajit Bhavnani, with Sqn Ldrs Bakshi, NA Moitra and JS Panesar as his team members and Sqn Ldr KG Bewoor as the relay pilot. Sri Lanka accused India of "blatant violation of sovereignty". India insisted that it
9940-407: The U.S. since the 1990s. Cash balance plans, for example, provide a guaranteed benefit like a defined benefit plan, but the benefit is expressed as an account balance, like a defined contribution plan. Pension equity plans are a type of cash balance plan that credits employee accounts with a percentage of their pay each year, similar to a defined contribution plan. A Defined Benefit (DB) pension plan
10082-431: The UN ground forces with its only long-range air support force. In late 1961, the Indian government decided to attack the Portuguese colony of Goa after years of disagreement between New Delhi and Lisbon . The Indian Air Force was requested to provide support elements to the ground force in what was called Operation Vijay . Probing flights by some fighters and bombers were carried out from 8–18 December to draw out
10224-480: The US, defined contribution plans are subject to IRS limits on how much can be contributed, known as the section 415 limit. In 2009, the total deferral amount, including employee contribution plus employer contribution, was limited to $ 49,000 or 100% of compensation, whichever is less. The employee-only limit in 2009 was $ 16,500 with a $ 5,500 catch-up. These numbers usually increase each year and are indexed to compensate for
10366-425: The United States are a type of defined benefit pension plan. Traditionally, defined benefit plans for employers have been administered by institutions which exist specifically for that purpose, by large businesses, or, for government workers, by the government itself. A traditional form of defined benefit plan is the final salary plan, under which the pension paid is equal to the number of years worked, multiplied by
10508-505: The United States include individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) plans . In such plans, the employee is responsible, to one degree or another, for selecting the types of investments toward which the funds in the retirement plan are allocated. This may range from choosing one of a small number of pre-determined mutual funds to selecting individual stocks or other financial assets. Most self-directed retirement plans are characterized by certain tax advantages , and some provide for
10650-474: The United States of America and Canada now face chronic pension crises. A defined contribution (DC) plan, is a pension plan where employers set aside a certain proportion (i.e. contributions) of a worker's earnings (such as 5%) in an investment account, and the worker receives this savings and any accumulated investment earnings upon retirement. These contributions are paid into an individual account for each member. The contributions are invested, for example in
10792-454: The ability to carry out aerial raids at night. The MiG-29s were used extensively to provide fighter escort to the Mirage 2000. Radar transmissions of Pakistani F-16s were picked up repeatedly, but these aircraft stayed away. The Mirages successfully targeted enemy camps and logistic bases in Kargil and severely disrupted their supply lines. Mirage 2000s were used for strikes on Muntho Dhalo and
10934-586: The actual target; bombing; and reconnaissance. In contrast, the Pakistan Air Force, which was solely focused on air combat, was blown out of the subcontinent's skies within the first week of the war. Those PAF aircraft that survived took refuge at Iranian air bases or in concrete bunkers, refusing to offer a fight. Hostilities officially ended at 14:30 GMT on 17 December, after the fall of Dacca on 15 December. India claimed large gains of territory in West Pakistan (although pre-war boundaries were recognised after
11076-753: The advancing Indian Army. IAF also assisted the Indian Navy in its operations against the Pakistani Navy in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea . On the western front, the IAF destroyed more than 20 Pakistani tanks, 4 APCs and a supply train during the Battle of Longewala . The IAF undertook strategic bombing of West Pakistan by carrying out raids on oil installations in Karachi , the Mangla Dam and
11218-400: The affairs of tri-service integration, doctrinal strategy, capability development, defence acquisition and infrastructure. As the professional head of the force, the CAS is assisted by one subordinate officer and one principal staff officer , namely: Initially, beginning in the pre-independence era, until 1966, the office of CAS was held by a three-star air marshal ; the first six chiefs in
11360-564: The assets are truly secured for their benefit. Second, contributions to the vehicle should be tax-deductible to the employer (or at least, a tax deduction should be secured already). And third, to the extent that it has funded the pension liability, the employer should be able to reduce the liability shown on its balance sheet. In the absence of appropriate statute, attempts have been made to invent suitable vehicles with varying degrees of success. The most notable has been in Germany where, until
11502-508: The attainment of normal retirement age (usually age 65). Companies would rather hire younger employees at lower wages. Some of those provisions come in the form of additional temporary or supplemental benefits , which are payable to a certain age, usually before attaining normal retirement age. Due to changes in pensions over the years, many pension systems, including those in Alabama , California , Indiana , and New York , have shifted to
11644-507: The average retirement age and lifespan of the employees, the returns to be earned by the pension plan's investments and any additional taxes or levies, such as those required by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the U.S. So, for this arrangement, the benefit is relatively secure but the contribution is uncertain even when estimated by a professional. This has serious cost considerations and risks for
11786-483: The best interests of the beneficiaries. These jurisdictions account for over 80% of assets held by private pension plans around the world. Of the $ 50.7 trillion of global assets in 2019, $ 32.2T were in U.S. plans, the next largest being the U.K. ($ 3.2T), Canada ($ 2.8T), Australia ($ 1.9T), Singapore ($ 0.3T), Hong Kong and Ireland (each roughly $ 0.2T), New Zealand, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Jamaica, etc. Civil-law jurisdictions with statutory trust vehicles for pensions include
11928-559: The capacity to provide rapid response evacuation, search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, and delivery of relief supplies to affected areas via cargo aircraft. The IAF provided extensive assistance to relief operations during natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in 1998 , the tsunami in 2004 , and North India floods in 2013. The IAF has also undertaken relief missions such as Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka . The Indian Air Force
12070-563: The civilian Department of Space , and the Indian Space Research Organisation . By uniting the civilian run space exploration organisations and the military faculty under a single Integrated Space Cell the military is able to efficiently benefit from innovation in the civilian sector of space exploration, and the civilian departments benefit as well. The Indian Air Force, with highly trained crews, pilots, and access to modern military assets provides India with
12212-677: The conclusion of the tenure under Section 18-19 of the Air Force Act, 1950 and Article 310 of the Constitution . Additionally, a CAS-appointee is also eligible to be selected for the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), in accordance with the Air Force (Amendment) Regulations, 2022 - which prescribes that the designated nominee, in this case the CAS, must be under the age of 62 at the time of appointment as CDS; as of 2024, no CAS-appointee has ever been appointed as CDS. Since
12354-411: The course of the conflict, the PAF enjoyed technological superiority over the IAF and had achieved substantial strategic and tactical advantage due to the suddenness of the attack and advanced state of their air force. The IAF was restrained by the government from retaliating to PAF attacks in the eastern sector while a substantive part of its combat force was deployed there and could not be transferred to
12496-441: The degree of financial security provided to the retiree. With defined benefit plans, retirees receive a guaranteed payout at retirement, determined by a fixed formula based on factors such as salary and years of service. The risk and responsibility of ensuring sufficient funding through retirement is borne by the employer or plan managers. This type of plan provides a level of financial security for retirees, ensuring they will receive
12638-674: The effects of inflation. For 2015, the limits were raised to $ 53,000 and $ 18,000, respectively. Examples of defined contribution pension schemes in other countries are, the UK's personal pensions and proposed National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), Germany's Riester plans, Australia's Superannuation system and New Zealand's KiwiSaver scheme. Individual pension savings plans also exist in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain Many developed economies are moving beyond DB & DC Plans and are adopting
12780-517: The employee's plan. This money can be tax-deferred or not, depending on the exact nature of the plan. Some countries also grant pensions to military veterans. Military pensions are overseen by the government; an example of a standing agency is the United States Department of Veterans Affairs . Ad hoc committees may also be formed to investigate specific tasks, such as the U.S. Commission on Veterans' Pensions (commonly known as
12922-440: The employer and employee to contribute money to a fund during their employment in order to receive defined benefits upon retirement. It is a tax deferred savings vehicle that allows for the tax-free accumulation of a fund for later use as retirement income. Funding can be provided in other ways, such as from labor unions, government agencies, or self-funded schemes. Pension plans are therefore a form of "deferred compensation". A SSAS
13064-494: The employer is the reason given by many employers for switching from defined benefit to defined contribution plans over recent years. The risks to the employer can sometimes be mitigated by discretionary elements in the benefit structure, for instance in the rate of increase granted on accrued pensions, both before and after retirement. The age bias, reduced portability and open ended risk make defined benefit plans better suited to large employers with less mobile workforces, such as
13206-559: The employer offering a pension plan. One of the growing concerns with defined benefit plans is that the level of future obligations will outpace the value of assets held by the plan ( Unfunded mandate ). This "underfunding" dilemma can be faced by any type of defined benefit plan, private or public, but it is most acute in governmental and other public plans where political pressures and less rigorous accounting standards can result in excessive commitments to employees and retirees, but inadequate contributions. Many states and municipalities across
13348-404: The employer tends to pay higher contributions than under defined contribution plans), so such criticism is rarely harsh. The "cost" of a defined benefit plan is not easily calculated, and requires an actuary or actuarial software. However, even with the best of tools, the cost of a defined benefit plan will always be an estimate based on economic and financial assumptions. These assumptions include
13490-438: The end of the 20th century, most occupational pensions were unfunded ("book-reserved") promises by employers. Changes started in 1983. Most national pension systems are based on multi-pillar schemes to ensure greater flexibility and financial security to the old in contrast to reliance on one single system. In general, there are three main functions of pension systems: saving, redistribution and insurance functions. According to
13632-506: The end of the war, IAF's transport planes dropped leaflets over Dhaka urging the Pakistani forces to surrender, demoralising Pakistani troops in East Pakistan. In 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot to capture the Siachen Glacier in the contested Kashmir region. In Op Meghdoot, IAF's Mi-8 , Chetak and Cheetah helicopters airlifted hundreds of Indian troops to Siachen. Launched on 13 April 1984, this military operation
13774-538: The establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in October 1932 (later rechristened the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) ), the organization's professional head bore the undermentioned designations: Upon independence and the subsequent partition of the subcontinent , RAF India was bifurcated into two new entities: a successor Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) - responsible for the Dominion of India , and
13916-599: The establishment-cum-continuity of air deterrence and executing India's security objectives vis-à-vis the preservation of the country's air sovereignty . Being a permanent member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the National Security Council (NSC), the CAS also bears the responsibility of advising the nation's civilian leadership i.e., the Government of India on all matters privy to
14058-643: The form of a guaranteed life annuity , thus insuring against the risk of longevity . A pension created by an employer for the benefit of an employee is commonly referred to as an occupational or employer pension. Labor unions , the government, or other organizations may also fund pensions. Occupational pensions are a form of deferred compensation , usually advantageous to employee and employer for tax reasons. Many pensions also contain an additional insurance aspect, since they often will pay benefits to survivors or disabled beneficiaries. Other vehicles (certain lottery payouts, for example, or an annuity ) may provide
14200-527: The ground forces and also provided air transportation to the Sri Lankan civil administration during the elections. Mi-25s of No. 125 Helicopter Unit were utilised to provide suppressive fire against militant strong points and to interdict coastal and clandestine riverine traffic. On the night of 3 November 1988, the Indian Air Force mounted special operations to airlift a parachute battalion group from Agra , non-stop over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) to
14342-410: The heavily defended Tiger Hill and paved the way for their early recapture. At the height of the conflict, the IAF was conducting over forty sorties daily over the Kargil region. By 26 July, the Indian forces had successfully repulsed the Pakistani forces from Kargil. Since the late 1990s, the Indian Air Force has been modernising its fleet to counter challenges in the new century. The fleet size of
14484-572: The individual; the terminology varies between countries. Retirement plans may be set up by employers, insurance companies, the government, or other institutions such as employer associations or trade unions. Called retirement plans in the United States , they are commonly known as pension schemes in the United Kingdom and Ireland and superannuation plans (or super ) in Australia and New Zealand . Retirement pensions are typically in
14626-400: The investment portfolio to his or her individual needs and financial situation, including the choice of how much to contribute, if anything at all. However, others state that these apparent advantages could also hinder some workers who might not possess the financial savvy to choose the correct investment vehicles or have the discipline to voluntarily contribute money to retirement accounts. In
14768-450: The member's salary at retirement, multiplied by a factor known as the accrual rate . The final accrued amount is available as a monthly pension or a lump sum, but usually monthly. In the US, 26 U.S.C. § 414(j) specifies a defined benefit plan to be any pension plan that is not a defined contribution plan (see below) where a defined contribution plan is any plan with individual accounts. A traditional pension plan that defines
14910-458: The name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India . With the transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed. Since 1950, the IAF has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation Vijay , Operation Meghdoot , Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai . The IAF's mission expands beyond engagement with hostile forces, with
15052-657: The nation in widespread violence and rebellion . The IAF activated No. 5 Squadron , equipped with English Electric Canberra , to support the United Nations Operation in the Congo . The squadron started undertaking operational missions in November. The unit remained there until 1966, when the UN mission ended. Operating from Leopoldville and Kamina , the Canberras soon destroyed the rebel Air Force and provided
15194-603: The newly-formed Royal Pakistan Air Force (RPAF) - responsible for the Dominion of Pakistan . However, the former role of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India was trifurcated into three positions: Whilst the RIAF and RPAF maintained their respective commanding officers, the Deputy Supreme Commander (Air), who worked for the Supreme Commander's Headquarters (Supreme HQ) , acted as
15336-532: The only appointee to have ever received a second four-year term; nevertheless, he unexpectedly died halfway through it. Currently, according to the Regulations for the Air Force, 2000 – a CAS-appointee reaches superannuation upon the completion of three years in the position or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier. However, an appointee may also be dismissed from office by the President of India before
15478-436: The overall coordinator for the two new air forces, under the additional title of Air Officer Commanding RAF Units in India and Pakistan . The role was disbanded in November 1947, following which India and Pakistan subsequently gained full organizational control of the RIAF and RPAF, respectively. On 1 March 1948, the designation of the RIAF's commanding officer was rechristened as Chief of the Air Staff , and again to Chief of
15620-431: The pension for older employees than for younger ones (an "age bias"). Defined benefit pensions tend to be less portable than defined contribution plans, even if the plan allows a lump sum cash benefit at termination. Most plans, however, pay their benefits as an annuity, so retirees do not bear the risk of low investment returns on contributions or of outliving their retirement income. The open-ended nature of these risks to
15762-545: The pension plan allows for early retirement, payments are often reduced to recognize that the retirees will receive the payouts for longer periods of time. In the United States, under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 , any reduction factor less than or equal to the actuarial early retirement reduction factor is acceptable. Many DB plans include early retirement provisions to encourage employees to retire early, before
15904-408: The person's retirement from work. A pension may be: Pensions should not be confused with severance pay ; the former is usually paid in regular amounts for life after retirement, while the latter is typically paid as a fixed amount after involuntary termination of employment before retirement. The terms " retirement plan " and " superannuation " tend to refer to a pension granted upon retirement of
16046-410: The plan. Traditional defined benefit plan designs (because of their typically flat accrual rate and the decreasing time for interest discounting as people get closer to retirement age) tend to exhibit a J-shaped accrual pattern of benefits, where the present value of benefits grows quite slowly early in an employee's career and accelerates significantly in mid-career: in other words it costs more to fund
16188-555: The post-independence IAF were three-star air marshals. However, the office’s rank-specifications was raised to the four-star rank of air chief marshal in January 1966, initially as a recognitive measure to Air Marshal Arjan Singh , the IAF's third and then-incumbent CAS, for his leadership of the IAF during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 ; every CAS-appointee since then has been an air chief marshal. The move to appoint
16330-445: The private sector in many countries. For example, the number of defined benefit plans in the U.S. has been steadily declining, as more and more employers see pension contributions as a large expense avoidable by disbanding the defined benefit plan and instead offering a defined contribution plan. Money contributed can either be from employee salary deferral or from employer contributions. The portability of defined contribution pensions
16472-598: The provisions of the Tier I scheme, whereas Veronica, hired in August 1995, would be permitted to retire at age 60 with full benefits and Jessica, hired in December 2014, would not be able to retire with full benefits until she became 65. In an unfunded defined benefit pension, no assets are set aside and the benefits are paid for by the employer or other pension sponsor as and when they are paid. Pension arrangements provided by
16614-569: The public sector (which has open-ended support from taxpayers). This coupled with a lack of foresight on the employers part means a large proportion of the workforce are kept in the dark over future investment schemes. Defined benefit plans are sometimes criticized as being paternalistic as they enable employers or plan trustees to make decisions about the type of benefits and family structures and lifestyles of their employees. However they are typically more valuable than defined contribution plans in most circumstances and for most employees (mainly because
16756-399: The purchasing power of the pension; the higher the inflation rate, the lower the purchasing power of a fixed annual pension. This effect can be mitigated by providing annual increases to the pension at the rate of inflation (usually capped, for instance at 5% in any given year). This method is advantageous for the employee since it stabilizes the purchasing power of pensions to some extent. If
16898-586: The rank; his promotion occurred thirty-three years after his superannuation. To note, although the rank-holder of MIAF is nominally the highest-ranking officer in the IAF, the rank is all but titular with no operational duties attached, which leaves the CAS as the highest operationally-active officer in the IAF. (** Seconded from the Royal Air Force ) Indian Air Force 8 October 1932 ; 92 years ago ( 1932-10-08 ) ( as Royal Indian Air Force ) The Indian Air Force ( IAF )
17040-543: The remote Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives in response to Maldivian president Gayoom 's request for military help against a mercenary invasion in Operation Cactus . The IL-76s of No. 44 Squadron landed at Hulhule at 0030 hours and the Indian paratroopers secured the airfield and restored Government rule at Male within hours. Four Mirage 2000 aircraft of 7 Sqn, led by Wg Cdr AV 'Doc' Vaidya, carried out
17182-404: The risk of market fluctuations that could reduce their retirement savings. However, defined contribution plans provide more flexibility for employees, who can choose how much to contribute and how to invest their funds. Hybrid plans, such as cash balance and pension equity plans, combine features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. These plans have become increasingly popular in
17324-439: The selection of investment options and administrative providers. In the United States, the legal definition of a defined contribution plan is a plan providing for an individual account for each participant, and for benefits based solely on the amount contributed to the account, plus or minus income, gains, expenses and losses allocated to the account (see 26 U.S.C. § 414(i) ). Examples of defined contribution plans in
17466-434: The six Jordanian F-104s which failed to return to their donors. But the imbalance in air losses was explained by the IAF's considerably higher sortie rate, and its emphasis on ground-attack missions. On the ground Pakistan suffered most, with 9,000 killed and 25,000 wounded while India lost 3,000 dead and 12,000 wounded. The loss of armoured vehicles was similarly imbalanced. This represented a major defeat for Pakistan. Towards
17608-473: The sponsor/employer, and these risks may be substantial. In addition, participants do not necessarily purchase annuities with their savings upon retirement, and bear the risk of outliving their assets. (In the United Kingdom, for instance, it is a legal requirement to use the bulk of the fund to purchase an annuity.) The "cost" of a defined contribution plan is readily calculated, but the benefit from
17750-443: The state in most countries in the world are unfunded, with benefits paid directly from current workers' contributions and taxes. This method of financing is known as pay-as-you-go , or PAYGO . The social security systems of many European countries are unfunded, having benefits paid directly out of current taxes and social security contributions, although several countries have hybrid systems which are partially funded. Spain set up
17892-402: The state which may rank no higher than the state's promise to pay future pensions. Occupational pensions are typically provided through employment agreements between workers and employers, and their financing structure must meet legislative requirements. In common-law jurisdictions, the law requires that pensions be pre-funded in trusts, with a range of requirements to ensure the trustees act in
18034-460: The still damaged airfield and made their getaway to Portugal . Hunters attacked the wireless station at Bambolim. Vampires were used to provide air support to the ground forces. In Daman , Mystères were used to strike Portuguese gun positions. Ouragans (called Toofanis in the IAF) bombed the runways at Diu and destroyed the control tower, wireless station and the meteorological station. After
18176-415: The stock market, and the returns on the investment (which may be positive or negative) are credited to the individual's account. On retirement, the member's account is used to provide retirement benefits, sometimes through the purchase of an annuity which then provides a regular income. Defined contribution plans have become widespread all over the world in recent years, and are now the dominant form of plan in
18318-642: The three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier— Sia La , Bilafond La , and Gyong La . Pakistan controls the glacial valleys immediately west of the Saltoro Ridge. According to the TIME magazine , India gained more than 3,000 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi) of territory because of its military operations in Siachen. Following the inability to negotiate an end to
18460-558: The total distribution of occupational pensions around the world. It will be noted that four of the largest economies (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) have very little in the way of pension assets. Nevertheless, in terms of typical net income replacement in retirement, these countries rank well relative to those with pension assets. These and other countries represent a fundamentally different approach to pension provision, often referred to as "intergenerational solidarity". Intergenerational solidarity operates to an extent in any country with
18602-416: The valiant service by the IAF, King George VI conferred the prefix "Royal" in 1945. Thereafter the IAF was referred to as the Royal Indian Air Force . In 1950, when India became a republic, the prefix was dropped and it reverted to being the Indian Air Force. After it became independent from the British Empire in 1947, British India was partitioned into the new states of the Dominion of India and
18744-475: The war), and the independence of Pakistan's East wing as Bangladesh was confirmed. The IAF had flown over 16,000 sorties on both East and West fronts; including sorties by transport aircraft and helicopters. while the PAF flew about 30 and 2,840. More than 80 per cent of the IAF's sorties were close-support and interdiction, and according to neutral assessments about 45 IAF Aircraft were lost while, Pakistan lost 75 aircraft. Not including any F-6s, Mirage IIIs, or
18886-418: The western sector, against the possibility of Chinese intervention. Moreover, international (UN) stipulations and norms did not permit military force to be introduced into the Indian state of J&K beyond what was agreed during the 1949 ceasefire. Despite this, the IAF was able to prevent the PAF from gaining air superiority over conflict zones. The small and nimble IAF Folland Gnats proved effective against
19028-740: Was acting only on humanitarian grounds. In 1987, the IAF supported the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in northern and eastern Sri Lanka in Operation Pawan . About 70,000 sorties were flown by the IAF's transport and helicopter force in support of nearly 100,000 troops and paramilitary forces without a single aircraft lost or mission aborted. IAF An-32s maintained a continuous air link between air bases in South India and Northern Sri Lanka transporting men, equipment, rations and evacuating casualties. Mi-8s supported
19170-493: Was again modified to Chief of the Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (CAS/C-in-C, IAF) . In the initial years after independence, up until 1950, the position was occupied by two air marshals seconded from the RAF, namely, Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst and Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman . In 1954, Air Marshal Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs , the IAF's third and then-serving CAS/C-in-C, and originally an RAF-secondment, retired; as
19312-721: Was captured by the Pakistan military. Before his capture he was assaulted by a few locals. After a couple of days of captivity, the captured pilot was released by Pakistan per Third Geneva convention obligations. While Pakistan denied involvement of any of its F-16 aircraft in the strike, the IAF presented remnants of AMRAAM missiles that are only carried by the F-16s within the PAF as proof of their involvement. Unnamed US officials told Foreign Policy magazine in April 2019 that an audit didn't find any Pakistani F-16s missing. However, this
19454-765: Was established on 8 October 1932 in British India as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force . The enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the adoption of the Royal Air Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia. On 1 April 1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti biplanes and five Indian pilots. The Indian pilots were led by British RAF Commanding officer Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice Marshal) Cecil Bouchier . During World War II ,
19596-674: Was eventually betrayed and captured. Many of these Indian airmen were seconded or transferred to the expanding IAF such as Squadron Leader Mohinder Singh Pujji DFC who led No. 4 Squadron IAF in Burma. During the war, the IAF experienced a phase of steady expansion. New aircraft added to the fleet included the US-built Vultee Vengeance , Douglas Dakota , the British Hawker Hurricane , Supermarine Spitfire , and Westland Lysander . In recognition of
19738-458: Was flying over Sir Creek , a disputed territory. The aircraft was shot down killing all 16 Pakistani Navy personnel on board. India claimed that the Atlantic was on a mission to gather information on IAF air defence, a charge emphatically rejected by Pakistan which argued that the unarmed aircraft was on a training mission. On 2 August 2002, the Indian Air Force bombed Pakistani posts along
19880-452: Was not confirmed by the United States, which cited it as bilateral matter between US and Pakistan. Various international military observers reject Indian claim of shooting down PAF F-16. IAF also lost a MI-17 helicopter during Indo-Pakistan standoff 2019. On the same day of 27 February 2019, around twenty minutes before the MiG-21 downing, an Indian Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashed, killing six Indian Air Force personnel and one civilian in
20022-693: Was shot down by an Indian SPYDER surface-to-air missile mistaking it as an PAF aircraft and said that five personnel were held guilty for the lapses. IAF dismissed Group Captain Suman Roy Choudhry Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Srinagar Air Force Station from his service in 2023 for his negligence during PAF strikes. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of all Indian armed forces and by virtue of that fact
20164-449: Was unique because of Siachen's inhospitable terrain and climate. The military action was successful, given the fact that under a previous agreement, neither Pakistan nor India had stationed any personnel in the area. With India's successful Operation Meghdoot , it gained control of the Siachen Glacier . India has established control over all of the 70 kilometres (43 mi) long Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as
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