President Droupadi Murmu on March 8 presented the President’s Standard’s to two fighters squadrons of IAF and President’s Colours to two formations at Hindon Air Force station. This is the first time in the history of the service that four units have been awarded the President’s Standard and Colours together in a single ceremony.
These include No. 45 ‘Flying Daggers’, the first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) squadron of the IAF, No. 221 Squadron ‘Valiants’ which flew almost one-third of all offensive missions of the IAF during the 1999 Kargil conflict will be at President’s Standard while the 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) and 509 Signal Unit (SU) will be presented President’s Colours.
The award of the President’s Standard and Colours is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon any military unit, the IAF said in a statement. On arrival, the President was presented with an aerial salute by three Mi-171V helicopters in ‘Dhwaj’ formation trooping the National flag and the ceremonial parade was commanded by Group Captain K. S. Sanu Nair of 11 BRD.
