As part of the celebrations marking the 94th Air Force Day, Air Force Stations in the Mumbai area hosted a special High Tea for Indian Air Force veterans from Mumbai, Thane and Raigad on September 27, 2026, paying tribute to their distinguished service and strengthening the enduring bond between serving and retired Air Warriors.
The gathering brought together generations of Indian Air Force personnel in an atmosphere of camaraderie, remembrance and pride. Veterans who had dedicated significant years of their lives to the service of the nation were welcomed by serving Air Warriors, providing an opportunity for former and current personnel to interact and share experiences.
The event formed part of the wider activities associated with the 94th Air Force Day celebrations. The Indian Air Force observes Air Force Day every year on October 8, commemorating its establishment in 1932 and recognising the contribution of generations of personnel who have served the country in peace and conflict.
The High Tea in Mumbai was particularly focused on recognising veterans and maintaining their connection with the service after retirement. Former Air Force personnel residing across Mumbai, neighbouring Thane and Raigad were invited to participate in the gathering.
During the interaction, the service and sacrifices of veterans were acknowledged, while the occasion also provided serving personnel an opportunity to engage with Air Warriors from earlier generations. Such interactions help preserve institutional memory and allow experiences accumulated over decades of military aviation to be shared with younger members of the force.
Veterans have played an important role in shaping the Indian Air Force through successive phases of its development, from operating earlier generations of aircraft and air-defence systems to supporting the transition towards increasingly sophisticated aerospace capabilities.
Over the decades, IAF personnel have participated in major military operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief missions, evacuation operations and peacetime deployments. The veterans attending the Mumbai gathering represented this broader legacy of service that continues to form an important part of the Air Force’s institutional identity.
The event also highlighted the relationship that the Indian Air Force seeks to maintain with its veteran community. Retirement from active duty marks the conclusion of formal military service, but veterans continue to remain part of the wider Air Force fraternity.
The theme of the gathering was captured in the message, “Once an Air Warrior, Always an Air Warrior,” reflecting the lifelong connection between personnel and the service in which they served.
Interactions between serving personnel and veterans also provide an opportunity to bridge different eras of the Indian Air Force. While technology, aircraft, weapons and operational doctrines have evolved considerably, values such as professionalism, discipline, courage and commitment to duty remain central to the service.
The September 27 gathering therefore served both as a tribute and a reunion, allowing veterans to reconnect with fellow Air Warriors while serving personnel acknowledged the contribution of those who preceded them.
With the Indian Air Force approaching its 94th anniversary on October 8, 2026, the Mumbai event underscored that the celebrations are not only about the force’s present capabilities and future ambitions, but also about recognising the generations of Air Warriors whose service helped build its legacy.
By bringing together veterans from Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, the High Tea reinforced a message at the heart of the Air Force community: uniforms may eventually be hung up and active service may come to an end, but the bond of being an Air Warrior continues long after retirement.
