Suryakiran Aerobatic Team Performs Over Meerut for the First Time

A first for Meerut

The Indian Air Force's Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) flew its first-ever display over Meerut on 19 and 20 September 2026. The Ministry of Defence said more than 1 lakh people watched over the two days, among them students, NCC cadets and NSS volunteers. The show had a local connection as well: three members of the team, two of them display pilots, are from Meerut.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth watched the display on 20 September and described it on X as a blend of discipline, precision, teamwork and professionalism. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, posting after the first day's show, praised the pilots for colouring the sky in the shades of the Tricolour and called it a proud moment for the state and the country. His post placed the show under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

What the crowd saw

The team came to Meerut straight after completing its 2026 training season and unveiled its newest formation there. It flies nine red-and-white Hawk Mk132 jets, built in India under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The display included loops, barrel rolls, inverted flying and the team's signature DNA manoeuvre, with the aircraft holding formation less than five metres apart.

The coloured trails are an Indian addition. Smoke pods that release coloured smoke were integrated into the Hawk Mk132 at the IAF's Base Repair Depot in Nashik, which lets the team draw saffron, white and green across the sky.

About SKAT

Formed in 1996, SKAT is the only nine-aircraft aerobatic team in Asia and one of a small number of such teams anywhere in the world. In a 30-year history it has flown more than 800 displays, and it has represented the IAF at international air shows in China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, the UAE and Dubai. The team is known as the Ambassadors of the Indian Air Force, and its shows are also meant to interest young people in a career in the Defence Forces.

Exam angle

Questions on SKAT usually test four facts: the aircraft it flies (the Hawk Mk132, licence-built by HAL), the year it was formed (1996), its standing as Asia's only nine-aircraft aerobatic team, and its title, the Ambassadors of the Indian Air Force. The Nashik smoke-pod modification is a newer fact worth adding to your notes.