The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to mark a significant moment in its history on Sunday with Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari unveiling a new IAF ensign at the 91st IAF Day celebrations at Prayagraj, IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ashish Moghe said on Saturday. Indian Air Force will also conduct an air show over the Sangam area in the vicinity of the Ordnance Depot Fort in Prayagraj tomorrow.

The IAF crest will now feature on the top right corner of the ensign, which currently displays the national flag in the upper left canton and the IAF tri-colour roundel in the lower right, he said.

The force stated that this significant change of the symbol reflects a reaffirmation of its fundamental principles. It went on to say that the Bhagavad Gita passage and symbols like the Ashoka Lion and Himalayan Eagle have been added to the new IAF flag in order to better link it with the values of the Indian Air Force.

The Royal Indian Air Force's previous ensign, which included the Union Jack and the RIAF roundel (red, white, and blue), was replaced more than seven decades ago with the current one. The Union Jack was originally depicted on the top left canton and the RIAF roundel in Red, White, and Blue was displayed on the fly side of the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) ensign. The Indian tricolour and the RAF roundel in the lower right canton were swapped out to create the IAF's ensign after the country gained independence.

The current IAF crest consists of the Ashoka lion on the top, with the Himalayan eagle with its wings spread below it, denoting the fighting qualities of the air force. A light blue ring encircles the eagle with Bhartiya Vayu Sena written on it in Hindi. The IAF’s motto, Nabh Sparsham Deeptam (Touch the Sky with Glory), is inscribed below the 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".

It's worth noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously unveiled the new ensign of the Indian Navy at the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier 'INS Vikrant' in September last year. PM Modi emphasized throughout the ceremony how India has moved past its colonial past, eschewing symbols of slavery and embracing a new naval pennant that was inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Image source: Hindustan Times