Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the government is equipping the Indian Air Force with the most advanced platforms in line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He was speaking during the sending off ceremony of ‘Vayu Veer Vijeta’ car rally from National War Memorial here today. The rally, scheduled to cover 7000 kms , is being organized to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of Indian Air Force.

Addressing the gathering ,the Defence Minister said that the IAF has achieved significant feats in its bid to protect the country and its people. “It is capable of giving a befitting reply to the country’s enemies by striking them deep into their territory. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are committed to equip IAF with most advanced aircraft/platforms and make them more capable through the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative,” he said. Singh also appreciated the air warriors for serving the motherland in difficult circumstances with bravery, dedication and patriotism.

Meanwhile, the rally, comprising more than 50 air warriors, including women, is headed towards Thoise, Ladakh, which holds the distinction of being one of the world’s highest altitude air force station at 3,068m above mean sea level. Following another flag off from Thoise, the cavalcade would move towards Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, where it would culminate on October 29th.

The team would halt at Leh, Kargil, Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Agra, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Darbhanga, Bagdogra, Hasimara, Guwahati, Tezpur and Dirang, during the journey. According to a Defence Ministry press release, the rally is being organized with an aim to raise awareness among the people about the history of IAF, the deeds of valour of the air warriors in different wars and rescue operations, and attract the youth to serve the motherland. During the car rally, the air warriors will also hold interactions with the youth at schools and colleges in various states/UTs.

Chief of the Air Staff ,Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, former Chiefs RKS Bhadauria & AY Tipnis and other senior officials of IAF were also present during the ceremony.