IAF DEMANDS FASTER MODERNISATION AS AIR CHIEF WARNS COMBAT STRENGTH MUST GROW

October 7, 2026

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh has said the force is progressing in the right direction but needs to accelerate its modernisation, with greater capacity, faster induction of new platforms and stronger combat strength becoming increasingly important.

Speaking ahead of the IAF’s 94th anniversary, Singh said the force has increasingly moved away from a platform-centred approach towards a broader capability-centred model that integrates aircraft, weapons, sensors, command systems and other elements of air power. He said this approach had demonstrated its value during Operation Sindoor.

The Air Chief nevertheless acknowledged delays in important acquisition and induction programmes, including the LCA Mk-1A. Earlier, he had warned that declining fighter numbers were placing pressure on the IAF and said the force needed to induct around 36–40 fighter aircraft annually in the coming years to rebuild its combat strength.

Singh also stressed that rapidly evolving technology is transforming modern warfare, requiring the IAF to expand its capabilities while improving integration across different systems. The emphasis reflects a growing recognition that numerical strength, technological sophistication and operational integration must advance together.

With Singh due to retire later this month, the responsibility for continuing the modernisation drive will pass to Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who has been appointed as his successor.