The Indian Air Force (IAF) is an institution, specifically the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces, whose primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on October 8, 1932, in British India as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force, with its first squadron commissioned on April 1, 1933. The IAF was created to provide an air service for the defence of British India, and the enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated its auxiliary status. After India became a republic in 1950, the prefix "Royal," which was conferred in 1945 for its service in World War II, was dropped, and it was renamed the Indian Air Force.
The IAF's mechanism is governed by the Air Force Act, 1950, which is a legislation that provides for the administration, discipline, and control of all members of the Air Force. The Act, which consists of 194 sections and is divided into 16 chapters, details provisions for the appointment of officers, conditions of service, and the constitution of courts-martial to try offences. The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF, while the operational command rests with the Chief of the Air Staff, a four-star officer. The IAF connects directly to the Ministry of Defence, which provides its policy framework and resources, and works in coordination with the Indian Army and Indian Navy.
Recently, the IAF has been undergoing a significant modernization drive, with a primary focus on replacing older Soviet-era aircraft and achieving a target of 42 combat squadrons. A major change is the ongoing push for Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs), which aims to shift from service-specific commands to unified tri-service commands, a move that has involved some inter-service grievances, particularly regarding the sharing of air assets. Furthermore, the IAF submitted a proposal in 2023 to rename itself the Indian Air and Space Force (IASF) to reflect its expanding role in space-related activities, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.