Air Force Day today: After 72 years, IAF to unveil new ensign

New Delhi, October 7

The Ministry of Defence today said Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari would unveil a new ensign to mark Air Force Day on Sunday.

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The Air Force Day parade is this year being conducted at Prayagraj and the flypast would be over the Sangam – the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna. The new ensign would be made public at the parade. This is the first change to the ensign since 1951, when the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) ensign was changed to make it look ‘Indian’.

After Independence, the IAF ensign was created by replacing the Union Jack with the Indian Tricolour and the RIAF roundels were replaced with the Tricolour roundel.

A new lAF ensign set to

be unveiled tomorrow has the Air Force crest in the top right corner. The crest has the national symbol, the Ashoka lion, on the top with the words ‘Satyameva Jayete’ in Devanagari below it.

A Himalayan eagle, with its wings spread, has a ring in light blue colour encircling it with words “Indian Air Force”.

The existing motto of the IAF “Touching the sky with Glory” taken from the verse 24, Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita will remain on the ensign.