India is celebrating the Indian Air Force (IAF) today (October 08). On this occasion, the IAF is all set to unveil its new ensign at the annual Air Force Day parade in Uttar Pradeshs Prayaraj on Sunday to better reflect its values, 72 years after a similar exercise was undertaken.IAF to unveil its new ensign on Air Force Day paradeThis move comes over a year after the Navy made changes in its ensign shedding its colonial past.The IAF said, “October 8 will go down as a momentous day in the annals of IAF history. On this historic day, the Chief of Air Staff will unveil the new IAF ensign.”Now, in the new ensign, the Air Force crest will be in the top right corner.Notably, the Indian Air Force was officially established on October 08, 1932. In view of its professional efficiency and achievements during World War II, the force was bestowed with the prefix Royal in March 1945. So, it became the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF).In 1950, the IAF dropped its Royal prefix and amended the ensign as India became a republic.What changes will be seen in IAFs new ensignThe RIAF ensign consisted of the Union Jack in the upper left canton and the RIAD roundel (red, white and blue) on the fly side. After the independence, the IAF Ensign was created which replaced the Union Jack with the Indian tricolour and the RIAF roundel with the IAF tricolour roundels in the lower right canton.“A new lAF ensign has now been created to better reflect the values of the Indian Air Force. This reaffirmation will now be reflected by the inclusion of the Air Force Crest in the top right corner of the ensign, towards the fly side,” the IAF said in a statement.Basically, 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, which denotes the fighting qualities of the Air Force.A ring in light blue colour encircles the Himalayan eagle with the words Bhartiya Vayu Sena.The motto of the IAF — touch the sky with the glory is inscribed below the Himalayan eagle in 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.”Air Force Day parade will be held in Prayagraj todayOn Sunday, the Air Force Day parade and air display will be held in UPs Prayagraj.During the event, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari are among the top military officials attending the parade.The parade was traditionally held at the Hindon airbase near Delhi till 2021 before the event was taken outside the national capital. It was held in Chandigarh last year.
