Indian Air Force

Two IAF pilots killed in Su-30MKI crash during training mission in Assam

Indian Air Force confirms deaths of Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar after Su-30MKI fighter aircraft crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong area

2 pilots killed in crash of Sukhoi-30 fighter jet in Assam's Karbi Anglong

A Su-30 MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Thursday. The IAF said the search operation for the aircraft is underway. There is no information on the pilots of the aircraft. The Su-30MKI, which was on a training mission, crashed in the area of Karbi Anglong, approximately 60 km from Jorhat, the IAF said in a brief statement. Search operations are underway, it said. Earlier, officials said the aircraft went missing shortly after taking off from the Jorhat airbase. Communication with the Russian-origin aircraft was lost at 7:42 pm, they had said. Su-30MKI is a two-seater multirole long-range fighter jet developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi. It is now built under licence by HAL for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF operates a fleet of over 260 Su-30MKI jets. A Sukhoi fighter plane had crashed in the Nashik district of Maharashtra in June 2024. Another Sukhoi-30 jet had crashed in January 2023, after taking off fr

Su-30 MKI fighter lost radar contact after take-off in Assam, probe on: IAF

The Indian Air Force said that a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft lost radar contact after taking off from Jorhat in Assam

Indian Air Force's medium transport aircraft acquisition gathers pace

Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Embraer in the race to replace IAF's ageing AN-32 and IL-76 transport aircraft

IAF showcases capabilities in real-world combat conditions at Vayushakti

Rajasthan exercise offers glimpse into how IAF executed Operation Sindoor

Datanomics: India's defence aviation bears the brunt of flight crashes

In 2024-25, commercial aircraft, fighter jets, and helicopters accounted for the largest share of India's overall aviation fleet

IAF shows combat prowess, gives glimpse of Op Sindoor at Vayu Shakti

The Indian Air Force demonstrated its combat prowess and firepower capabilities, and presented glimpses of missions undertaken during Operation Sindoor through simulated strikes at the Pokharan Field Firing Range under Exercise 'Vayu Shakti' in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu on Friday. The day-dusk-night demonstration, held in the Thar desert of western Rajasthan near the India-Pakistan border, is also being attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, among other dignitaries. A presentation on Operation Sindoor was made at the beginning of the exercise, followed by a detailed display of day target layouts spread across a three-kilometre area. The simulated targets included an enemy runway, a petroleum storage facility, bunkers, radar sites, tank and armoured convoys, a communication centre, a terror camp, ammunition storage, a hangar and a command-and-control centre. Fighter jets and attack ..

PM makes historic landing at Northeast's first ELF, witnesses IAF airshow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a historic landing at the first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) of the northeast aboard the C-130J aircraft in Assam's Dibrugarh district. Modi took off from the Chabua airfield after his arrival, and landed at the ELF in Moran on a stretch of National Highway-37. The Rs 100-crore ELF, a 4.2-km reinforced stretch on the Moran Bypass, which was inaugurated by the PM, will act as a strategic and multi-functional runway for IAF fighter jets and transport aircraft, strengthening defence, logistics and disaster response, officials said. The facility is designed for both civil and military use, serving as an alternative to the Dibrugarh airport in case of emergency, they said. The PM was received at the ELF by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and other ministers of the Assam cabinet. After landing on the runway, Modi drove to the venue nearby from where he witnessed an aerial

DAC clears Rafale fighter jets and defence buys worth ₹3.6 trillion

DAC clears proposals worth ₹3.60 trillion, including 114 Rafale jets, six P-8I aircraft, missiles and upgrades for Army tanks and vehicles

IAF to train RAF pilots: All British academies now host Indian instructors

The IAF instructors to be deployed to RAF Valley will instruct on the trainer aircraft BAE Hawk T2 or Texan T1

IAF looking forward to induct more newer-generation aircraft: VCAS

The IAF is looking forward to inducting "a lot more" of the newer-generation aircraft into its inventory, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, said on Wednesday. Kapoor was addressing a press conference ahead of Exercise Vayu Shakti. On Rafale, he said, "Rafale definitely was a hero, among other heroes, during Operation Sindoor. Yes, Rafale is the buzzword; it is definitely a buzzword." The VCAS added, "The IAF is looking forward to induct a lot more MRFA aircraft, whether that will be Rafale or any other aircraft, is presently under consideration. And, a concrete decision on it has not yet been taken." MRFA refers to multi-role fighter aircraft. "The IAF is looking forward to induct a lot more of newer-generation aircraft in its inventory, and the sooner, the better," Kapoor said. Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29, Tejas, Jaguar, among other fighter aircraft, will be part of the upcoming Exercise Vayu Shakti, which will also highlight the "successful role" of the Indian A

Rafale, Su-30, Tejas to be part of upcoming exercise 'Vayu Shakti'

Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29, Tejas, Jaguar, among other fighter aircraft, will be part of the upcoming Exercise Vayu Shakti, and will highlight the "successful role" of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor, an IAF officer said on Wednesday. Exercise Vayu Shakti is scheduled to take place on February 27 at the Pokharan field firing range. Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, said "long-distance targeting" will not be showcased in this firepower demonstration at Pokharan in Rajasthan. The biennial demonstration this time "assumes (a) different connotation" as this is taking place after last year's Operation Sindoor, he said. More than 120 assets, including fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft, will be part of the exercise, the IAF officer quoted earlier said. The officer in a presentation made at the press conference said fighter jets, such as Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29, Tejas, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000, will be part of the exercise, besides Apache, LCH ..

IAF to have free hand to integrate weapons on 114 new Rafales: Sources

Additional Rafales to be of a vastly improved standard over 2016 jets

Tejas Mk1As unlikely to come with full capabilities by March: Sources

Defence sources say HAL has sought relaxation of certain IAF requirements to meet the previously agreed March 2026 deadline for the start of deliveries

Defence spending rises in Union Budget, but capability gains remain key

Operation Sindoor shapes FY27 defence Budget as India lifts spending to 2% of GDP, boosts capital outlay and modernisation to prepare for a potential two-front conflict

Why HAL missed AMCA fighter jet shortlist

India’s most ambitious fighter jet project has reached a turning point. For the first time, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will not lead the development of a frontline combat aircraft.

In modern war, stopping at the right moment matters as much as striking

The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That's an entirely political call. It isn't emotional or purely military

India shows 'Op Sindoor' valour, cultural hues at 77th R-Day celebrations

India ushered in its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a grand display of its cultural diversity, economic growth, and military prowess that included missiles, warplanes, newly-raised units and lethal weapon systems used during Operation Sindoor. President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, graced the celebrations as chief guests, marking a significant diplomatic moment alongside the military display. Although the overarching theme of the event was 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', the Indian military's Operation Sindoor too found prominence at the parade on the Kartavya Path, the centrepiece boulevard of the national capital. The parade commenced with the President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly after she, Costa and von der Leyen, flanked by the Indian president's bodyguards, arrived at the Kartavya Path in a traditional buggy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several other Union

Right time for strategic partnership on next-gen jets, weapons: IAF chief

IAF chief cites France aero-engine partnership as model for future tie-ups