India has overtaken China to become the third most powerful air force in the world, trailing only the United States and Russia. This is not merely a numerical accomplishment. In modern warfare, true air superiority is measured by readiness, operational integration, technological sophistication and the ability to project power. On these counts, India has decisively taken the lead.
According to the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), the Indian Air Force (IAF) now holds a rating of 69.4 ahead of China’s 63.8, despite Beijing operating a larger fleet over 3,700 aircraft compared to India’s roughly 2,000, including fighters, helicopters and trainers.
India’s air capability rests on a diverse range of platforms. Fighters include the Rafale, Su-30MKI, indigenous Tejas, and the recently retired MiG-21, which served for over six decades. The transport fleet, crucial for tactical and strategic mobility, features C-130 Super Hercules, C-295 and the indigenous Prachand light combat helicopter, demonstrating India’s ability to project power across land and maritime domains.
Helicopter assets such as the MH-60R Seahawk enhance maritime operations, while the AH-64 Apache provides state-of-the-art precision strike capability. Operation Sindoor, executed in May 2025, displayed the IAF’s operational excellence, integrating these platforms in coordinated precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also highlighted that a large part of the weaponry used was produced domestically, which is a testament to India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative in defence. This is not merely modernisation, it is strategic self-reliance, sending a clear message to regional adversaries that India is prepared to defend its skies independently and decisively.
The implications of this rise extend beyond prestige. Air power today is central to humanitarian operations, conflict deterrence and regional influence.
The IAF’s readiness strengthens the nation’s deterrence posture across the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean, while enhancing credibility in regional diplomacy.
India is also preparing to defend its skies and project strategic influence, ensuring that potential adversaries calibrate their actions with caution.
At a time when the United States continues to dominate global air power, supported by 40 per cent of worldwide military expenditure, developing economies like India are advancing rapidly.
Amid rising tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and intermittent skirmishes with Pakistan, India plans to induct over 600 new aircrafts over the next decade, including next-generation stealth fighters. This is not merely an expansion of capability; it is a clear signal that India is shaping its regional influence and projecting air power as an instrument.
Yet, this is not the finish line. Sustaining this advantage will require continued focus on indigenous next-generation fighters, AI-enhanced pilot training, integration across air, cyber and space domains and adoption of emerging technologies such as drones, precision-guided munitions, and advanced surveillance.
In addition, air power cannot rest on past achievements; it must continuously evolve to meet new challenges. India’s leap to the third spot is therefore more than a ranking; it is a statement of vision, dedicated discipline over the years and operational capability. For China and the region, the message is unmistakable- air superiority in Asia is no longer Beijing’s domain, it is India that sets the standard.
(By Shyna Gupta)
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