India’s new Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, has strongly come out in support of indigenous products to move the Indian Air Force’s modernization plans forward.
Confirming plans to procure 21 MiG-29 and 12 Su-30MKI aircraft to form a fourth MiG-29 squadron and to cater for attrition replacements for the Su-30 fleet which will form between 13 and 14 squadrons. The possibility of additional Su-30MKI orders to replace aircraft retiring from 2025 onwards – MiG-21Bisons and early production Jaguars – was hinted at by the Chief of Air Staff.
The first four of 36 Rafales have also been delivered but as of now no case for 36 additional Rafales has been moved forward. Plans for 114 combat aircraft to be made in India of a type yet to be determined are to be moved forward.
The Chief of Air Staff also confirmed that one more Tejas Mk.1 squadron and four Tejas Mk.1A squadrons will be formed – with 16 Tejas Mk.1 being delivered and a contract for 83 Tejas Mk1A is expected to be signed in a few months.
He also confirmed that the IAF will support both the successor to the Tejas – the Medium Weight Fighter – and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) which will be a 5th generation aircraft. No imports of fifth generation aircraft are envisaged.
Other indigenous projects that were openly endorsed by the Chief of Air Staff were the HTT-40 trainer, of which 68 are to be ordered and the Akash SAM of which eight squadrons are already in service with seven more squadrons on order. The Chief of Air Staff also mentioned the Astra air-to-air missile and several types of guided air-to-surface ordnance which have been successfully tested by the IAF and which will be inducted.
Photo: IAF Marching Band moving past an upgraded MiG-29 Credits Doordarshan News
