The Sarang Helicopter Display Team during a performance at the Singapore Airshow – 2024, on February 25, 2024. (India Sentinels photo via special arrangement.)
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force’s renowned Sarang Helicopter Display Team concluded the Singapore Airshow – 2024 with a captivating performance at the Changi Exhibition Centre, on Sunday. This marked a significant moment, as it was at the very same venue 20 years ago that the team made its debut, enthralling audiences with a three-helicopter display during the Asian Aerospace Show, in February 2004. Since then, the Sarangs have grown in skill and size, evolving into a formidable four-helicopter display team, and recently adding a five-helicopter profile to their repertoire.
Beyond their awe-inspiring aerobatic displays, both within India and internationally, the Sarang team has a distinguished record of service in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations. They played a crucial role during the Uttarakhand flash floods of 2013, deploying their helicopters to rescue nearly 1,000 people and deliver 12 tonnes of relief supplies at altitudes exceeding 10,000 feet in challenging weather conditions.
The team has consistently provided aid to communities affected by floods across India, with notable contributions during rescue and relief efforts in Chennai, Dundigal, Tirupati, and Nellore. They were also among the first responders during Cyclone Okhi in December 2017, the Kerala floods of August 2018, and the Tuticorin floods of December 2023.
Two choppers of the Indian Air Force’s Sarang Helicopter Display Team making a heart in the sky at the end of the Singapore Airshow – 2024 today.#Sarang #SingaporeAirshow #IndianAirForce #IAFSarangs pic.twitter.com/EacvT6zOqH
— India Sentinels (@indiasentinels) February 25, 2024
The Sarang team’s accomplishments are a testament to the progress India’s aviation industry has made in recent years. The country has diversified its capabilities, successfully developing, and producing cutting-edge helicopters and fighter jets. Looking ahead, India is poised to manufacture its first transport aircraft, the C-295, soon.
