Can you tell me meaning or full form of IAF? Tell me in detail about the importance and mission in IAF too?

The full form of IAF is Indian Air Force and is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. It is the World's 4th largest air force with the sole responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict.

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 became independent in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Dominion of India, with the prefix being dropped when India became a republic in 1950.

The President of India serves as the ex-officio Commander-in-Chief of the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff, an Air Chief Marshal (ACM), is a four-star commander and commands the Air Force.

Mission

Its mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947, Constitution of India and the Air Force Act of 1950, in the aerial battle space, as:

“Defence of India and every part thereof 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 demobilization.”

Therefore, it has the primary objective of protection Indian Territory and national interests from all threats in combination with the other branches of the armed forces by defending Indian airspace.

It provides close air support to the Indian Army troops in the battlefield and also provides calculated and calculated airlift capabilities. It also provides infantry and artillery transportations or secondary Airlift for the Indian Army.

It operates the Integrated Space Cell together with the other 2 branches of the Indian Armed Forces, the civilian Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to utilize more effectively India’s space-based resources for military purposes and to look into threats to these resources.