Indian Air Force Day: IAF to unveil new ensign on October 8. Know details

To mark its the 91st anniversary of Indian Air Force, a new IAF ensign will be unveiled on the occasion of Indian Air Force Day on Sunday.

The new IAF ensign will be unveiled by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari. The new ensign will include the Air Force Crest in the top right corner of the Ensign, towards the fly side, said IAF.

During the British era, Indian Air Force was known as Royal Indian Air Force. Its ensign comprised of the Union Jack in the upper left canton and the RIAF roundel (Red, White & Blue) on the fly side. Post-Independence, the Indian Air Force ensign was created by replacing the Union Jack with the Indian tricolour and the RAF roundels with the IAF tri-colour roundel in the lower right canton.

The IAF Crest has the national symbol, the Ashoka lion on the top with the words “Satyameva Jayate” in Devanagari below it. Below the Ashoka lion is a Himalayan eagle with its wings spread, denoting the fighting qualities of the IAF. A ring in light blue colour encircles the Himalayan eagle with the words “Indian Air Force”. The motto of the IAF “Nabha Sparsham Deeptam” is inscribed below the Himalayan eagle in golden Devanagari.

The IAF motto has been taken from verse 24, Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita and means “Radiant Thou Touchest Heaven” or in other words “Touching the sky with Glory”.