The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the aerial branch of the Indian Armed Forces and one of the largest air forces in the world. Its mission spans air defence of national airspace, offensive strike, strategic airlift and support to the Army and Navy.

The fleet

  • Fighters: the Rafale and Su-30MKI at the leading edge, supported by Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Jaguar and the indigenous Tejas.
  • Transport and tankers: C-17, C-130J, Il-76 and C-295 aircraft, plus aerial-refuelling tankers.
  • Helicopters and force multipliers: attack and heavy-lift helicopters, and airborne early-warning aircraft.

Command structure

The IAF is organised into operational, maintenance and training commands, distributed to cover the full expanse of Indian airspace and its frontiers.

Role and modernisation

Facing a two-front challenge, the IAF is modernising through new fighter acquisitions, indigenous Tejas production and the future AMCA programme, while strengthening its networked air-defence grid.