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IAF Anniversary: Air Chief Marshal Singh Announces Retirement

By Drooid · Oct 8, 2026, 5:44 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Singh Marks IAF Anniversary

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh marked the IAF’s 94th anniversary with a Hindan base parade.
Singh urged capability growth, citing Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A delays, and announced his retirement, naming Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as successor.
The October 8, 2026 ceremony used the theme “Infallible, Impervious and Precise”.
A ceremonial flypast in Varanasi is scheduled for October 25 as part of the anniversary events.

Summary

Rajalingam Orders Crowd Plan

Officials were ordered to draft a crowd-management plan identifying pressure points and separate entry and exit routes.
Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam led a field inspection with Police Chief Vaibhav Krishna and District Magistrate Surendra Kumar.
The air show’s Oct 23 slot was moved to Oct 24 because of state MLC elections for teachers and graduates.
Water police, local police and other agencies will jointly secure riverbanks using CCTV, drones and rapid-response teams.

History

Historical Context

After the 1999 Kargil War, the IAF’s Operation Safed Sagar marked the first large-scale high-altitude air campaign since 1971, flying 514 sorties and prompting modernization such as Mirage 2000 and Su-30MKI induction. The expertise later powered the 2019 Balakot strike by No. 9 Squadron, a legacy highlighted in today’s 94th-anniversary parade and remembered through Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria’s 2019 unit citation.

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Singh Marks IAF Anniversary

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh marked the IAF’s 94th anniversary with a Hindan base parade.
Singh urged capability growth, citing Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A delays, and announced his retirement, naming Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as successor.
The October 8, 2026 ceremony used the theme “Infallible, Impervious and Precise”.
A ceremonial flypast in Varanasi is scheduled for October 25 as part of the anniversary events.

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