The Indian Armed Forces consists of Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. [1] These three arms and the Indian Coast Guard operate a combination of combat, reconnaissance, tanker, and transport aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. [2]
The Su-30MKI, assembled in India, forms the major inventory of the Indian combat aircraft. [3] Tejas was the first indigenous fighter aircraft, which became part of the air force in 2015. [4] Rafale is the latest entry into the air force, having being inducted in July 2020. [5] Other combat aircraft include the Russian MiG 29, French Mirage, and British Jaguar aircraft. [2] The armed forces operate a combination of various transport aircraft including tactical and strategic airlifters. Majority of this fleet is composed of the legacy Antonov An-32, Dornier 228, and Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft. [2] In the 2010s, the air force inducted large American air-lifters C-17 and C-130J aircraft in the fleet. [6] [7] In 2023, it started inducting C-295 transport aircraft to replace its older ageing fleet. [8]
The Indian helicopter fleet consists of the French Alouette and SA 315, which were license built in India. [9] The Russian made Mil Mi-17 and Mil Mi-24 forms the major complement of the helicopter fleet. [2] HAL has designed and built various helicopters locally for the usage of armed forces such as the Dhruv, Prachand, and Rudra. [10] Since the late 2020s, India has inducted American made AH-64 and CH-47 into the fleet. [11] The Indian fleet also consists of various other reconnaissance and trainer aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles which include both local and imported planes. [2]
The Indian Air Force was established in 1932. [12] The air force operates about 90 air squadrons including 31 equipped with fighter aircraft. [13] [14] The air force maintains a fleet of combat, patrol, and Military transport aircraft, various helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles across more than 60 air bases in the country. [15] [16]
The Army Aviation Corps was formed on 1 November 1986. [64] It operates a series of helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. [65]
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Helicopter | |||||
Aérospatiale Alouette III | France / India [a] | Utility | Chetak | 60 [66] | To be phased out by 2033. [67] [68] [69] |
Aérospatiale SA 315B | Cheetah | 115 [70] | |||
HAL Dhruv | India | Dhruv Mk I/II/III | 78 [66] | 25 on order [71] | |
HAL Light Utility Helicopter | LUH | – | 6 on order; [56] 110 planned [72] | ||
Boeing AH-64 | United States | Attack | AH-64E | 3 [73] | 3 on order [40] [73] |
HAL Prachand | India | Prachand | 5 [40] | 90 on order; [57] 95 planned [72] | |
HAL Rudra | Rudra | 74 [70] | |||
UAV | |||||
Asteria AT | India | Surveillance | AT-15 | Unknown [74] | |
DRDO Nishant | Nishant | 13 [66] [75] | |||
IAI Heron | Israel | Heron Mk II | 4 [66] | ||
IAI Searcher | Searcher Mk I/II | 12 [66] | |||
IFT Switch | India | Switch 1.0 | 200 [76] | Additional orders placed in June 2025 [77] | |
Johnnette JF | JF-2 | Unknown [78] | |||
Newspace Beluga/Nimbus | Swarm | Beluga/Nimbus | 100 [79] [80] | ||
Endure Sabal | Cargo | Sabal 20 | Unknown [81] | ||
Raphe mPhibr MR | MR-20 | 48 [75] | |||
Gati | Grenade launcher | Gati | – | 20 on order [82] | |
MQ-9 Reaper | United States | Combat / Surveillance | SkyGuardian | – | 8 on order [63] |
Elbit Hermes 900 | Israel / India [d] | Surveillance | Drishti-10 | 1 [83] | 1 on order [83] |
The air arm of the Indian Navy was established in 1948. The navy operates 26 air squadrons stationed across eight naval air stations that operate under the flag officers of the various naval commands. [84] [85] The air arm maintains a fleet of combat and maritime patrol aircraft, various helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. [86]
The Indian Coast Guard is a maritime armed force, which was formed in 1978. It is involved in the protection of the maritime and offshore assets, and protecting the oceanic boundaries. [104] : 1 The coast guard operates various ships and aircraft including fixed wing reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters. [17] [104] : 5
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patrol | |||||
Dornier 228 | Germany / India [a] | Patrol / Reconnaissance | 228-101/201 [105] | 39 [17] | Includes 2 upgraded in 2024 [106] |
Helicopter | |||||
Aérospatiale Alouette III | France / India [a] | Utility | Chetak | 19 [17] | |
HAL Dhruv | India | Dhruv Mk. I | 4 [107] | ||
Dhruv Mk. III | 15 [108] [109] | 9 on order [110] 6 more planned [111] |
...the process was still underway a decade later.
IAF has a fleet of 259 Sukhoi 30MKIs
...to be a two-seat Mirage 2000TH, a combat trainer.
HAL has supplied 38 aircraft so far and the last two trainers will be delivered shortly.
Ministry of Defence also signed a contract with Metrea Management for Wet Leasing of one Flight Refuelling Aircraft
...along with about 18 of the more recent Cheetal helicopters
the letter of acceptance for 12 helicopters – six each for the army and air force...
Out of 156 LCHs, 66 LCHs will be supplied to the Indian Air Force and 90 to the Indian Army
...110 microlight for training air wing cadets, IAF would get 72 and Navy 12 microlights.
Of these 31 Predator drones, 15 will go to the Indian Navy, while the rest will be equally divided between the Air Force and the Army.
...while the Indian Army will be incorporating 25 into its fleets
The Indian Army is eyeing the acquisition of 95 `Prachand' Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) for mountain warfare, as well as 110 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) to replace its aging Cheetahs and Chetaks.
Russia shipped a total of 45 MiG-29K/KUB fighters to India in two batches.
The defence ministry in March last year signed a ₹667-crore contract with HAL for six Dornier-228 aircraft
The Navy is also due to receive two more MH-60R Seahawk helicopters...Of the 24 ordered, 13 have been delivered so far.
...six helicopters that have been delivered to the navy...The navy ordered 24 Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky MH-60R multi-role helicopters...
The navy has ten such UAVs.
The Coast Guard has previously taken delivery of four Dhruv Mk I variants...
A total of 16 ALH Mk-III aircraft have been inducted in the Indian Coast Guard in a phased manner
...with nine slated for the Indian Coast Guard...
DAC accorded AoN for procurement of 06 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) M (MR) for Indian Coast Guard...