Building the fighter fleet

In the face of combat aircraft shortfall and changing warfare dynamics, the IAF's acceptance of indigenous defence systems marks a positive shift in strategy

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first PM to take a sortie in the indigenous Tejas Mark 1 fighter aircraft. This display of confidence follows several Ministry of Defence (MoD) declarations that the shortfall of combat aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF) was being addressed through “Made in India” indigenous acquisitions. Even so, there is little reason to believe that the IAF’s fighter aircraft fleet will expand anytime soon from its current size of 30 squadrons to the 42-squadron fleet that MoD planners say is required to ward off the two large air forces of China