This article provides a list of active Indian military aircraft currently in service with the Indian Armed Forces, as well as aircraft's on order. For a list of historical military aircraft used by the Indian military, see list of historical aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Air Force

Further information: Indian Air Force
IAF Rafale take off from Dassault Aviation Facility, Merignac, France.
A Su-30MKI
Netra AEW&C on Embraer ERJ 145 platform
A C-130J Hercules on approach
HAL Prachand
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-21 Soviet Union interceptor MiG-21UPG 40[1]
MiG-29 Russia multirole MiG-29UPG[2] 75[3] 10 provide conversion training
HAL Tejas India multirole Mk.1 / 1A 33[4][5] 170 Mk.1A’s & 17 twin seater conversion trainers are on order. [5][6][7]
Mirage 2000 France multirole 2000 H/I 50[8] 8 TH/TI variants provide training
Sukhoi Su-30MKI Russia multirole Su-30MKI 260[9] 12 on order[10]
Dassault Rafale France multirole EH/DH[11] 36[3]
SEPECAT Jaguar United Kingdom ground attack IM/IS[12] 160[3] 30 IB’s provide training
AWACS
Embraer R-99 Brazil AEW&C 3[3] equipped with a DRDO-developed AEW&C system
Beriev A-50 Soviet Union AEW&C A-50EI 3 equipped with the EL/W-2090 radar. 2 on order.[13][14]
Reconnaissance
Boeing 707 United States surveillance 1[3]
Global 5000 United States ELINT 2[3]
Gulfstream G100 Israel surveillance 1125 Astra 2[3]
Gulfstream III United States ELINT SRA[15] 3[3] also used for electronic-warfare
Tanker
Ilyushin Il-78 Soviet Union aerial refueling Il-78MKI 6[3]
Transport
Boeing 737 United States VIP transport 737-700 3[16]
Boeing 777 United States VIP transport 777-300ER 2[17] used for Air India One for presidential flight
Embraer Legacy 600 Brazil VIP transport 4[18]
Boeing C-17 United States strategic airlifter 11[3]
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Union strategic airlifter Il-76MD 17[3]
Airbus A321 Europe transport A321-200 4[3]
Antonov An-32 Ukraine transport 103[3] 53 are the 32RE variant[19]
Dornier Do 228 Germany transport 228-201 58[3] license built by HAL[20]
EADS CASA C-295 Spain transport C-295MW 1 55 on order - HS 748 replacement[3][21]
C-130J Super Hercules United States tactical airlifter C-130J-30[22] 12[3]
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 United Kingdom transport 57[3]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-17 Russia utility Mi-17V-5 222[3]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack Mi-24/25/35 15[3]
HAL Rudra India attack 16 50 on order.[23]
HAL Dhruv India utility 95[3]
Alouette III France liaison Chetak 77[3] license-built by HAL
SA 315B Lama India utility Cheetah 17[3] license-built by HAL
Boeing AH-64 United States attack AH-64E 22[3]
CH-47 Chinook United States transport CH-47F 15[3]
HAL Light Utility Helicopter India utility 6 on order[24]
HAL Prachand India attack 10[25] 66 on order[26]
Trainer Aircraft
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Jet trainer Hawk 132 102[3]
HAL Kiran India Jet trainer 77[3]
HAL HTT-40 India basic trainer 70 on order[3]
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland trainer Mk II 75[3]
Pipistrel Virus Slovenia basic trainer 72[27]
UAV
IAI Heron Israel surveillance Heron 1 49[28][29]
IAI Searcher Israel surveillance Mk. I / II [29]
ALS-50 India loitering munition 100[30]

Army Aviation Corps

Further information: Army Aviation Corps (India)
An Army Dhruv at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2008
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India utility 70[31] 25 on order[31]
HAL Rudra India attack 75[32][31]
Alouette III France liaison / utility Chetak 4[3] license-built by HAL
SA 315B Lama France liaison / utility Cheetah 40 license-built by HAL - 4 on order[3]
HAL Prachand India attack 5[25] 90 on order[26]
Boeing AH-64 United States attack AH-64E(I) 6 on order[33]
UAV
Elbit Hermes 900 Israel Reconnaissance 2 on order[34]
IAI Eitan[35] Israel Reconnaissance Heron TP 4[36] 16 Heron on order[37]
IAI Searcher[37] Israel Reconnaissance Mk-III <100[38]
Ideaforge Switch [39][40] India Surveillance 1.0 undisclosed quantities on order[39]
NewSpace NIMBUS [41] India Surveillance Mk-III 75[41]
Raphe MPhibr MR-20[42] India Cargo 48[42]
NewSpace BELUGA [41] India Surveillance 25[41]

Naval Air Arm

Further information: Indian Naval Air Arm and List of Indian naval aircraft
MH-60R Seahawk helicopter of Indian Navy
A Boeing P-8I Neptune of Indian Navy
A Kamov Ka-31 helicopter lands on the USS Bunker Hill
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-29 Russia multirole MiG-29K 45[3] 9 KUB variants provide conversion training
Maritime patrol
Boeing P-8 United States ASW / patrol P-8I 12[3]
Dornier Do 228 Germany surveillance 228-201[20] 24 10 on order[3]
Britten-Norman BN-2 United Kingdom utility / patrol BN-2B/2T[43] 4[3]
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India utility 24[3]
Kamov Ka-27 Russia ASW Ka-28 14[3]
Kamov Ka-31 Russia AEW 14[3] employs a Planar array radar
Westland Sea King United Kingdom SAR / utility Mk.42B/C[44] 25[3] six are UH-3H variants
HAL Chetak France liaison / utility 42[3]
SH-60 Seahawk United States ASW / SAR MH-60R 6[45] 24 on order[46]
Trainer Aircraft
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Jet trainer Hawk 132 17[3]
HAL Kiran India Jet trainer 20[3]
UAV
IAI Heron[28] Israel surveillance Heron 1
IAI Searcher[29] Israel surveillance Mk. I / II
MQ-9 Reaper United States surveillance SeaGuardian 2[47]
Hermes 900 Israel surveillance 2[48][49]

Indian Coast Guard

A Dornier Do-228-101

Further information: Indian Coast Guard
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime patrol
Dornier Do 228 Germany reconnaissance 101/201[20] 23[50]
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India utility Mk. I / Mk. III 4 / 16[51][52][53]
HAL Chetak India utility 17[50]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Jennings, Gareth (12 December 2012). "Indian Air Force receives back first upgraded MiG-29 fighters". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 50 (2). ISSN 2048-3430.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao Hoyle, Craig (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Delivery of single-seat Tejas LCA Mark 1 fighters to IAF completed". Business Standard. 23 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b "IAF chief receives 1st LCA trainer from HAL, 7 more to come by Mar '24". Hindustan Times. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Contract signed for 83 LCA Tejas fighters, all eyes now on HAL delivery schedule". Print. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Rs 2.23 lakh crore-deal: India approves purchase of 97 Tejas aircraft, 156 Prachanda helicopters, other defence equipment". Money Control. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Despite Rafale, why is India still boosting its Mirage 2000 squadron?". WION. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  9. ^ "India moves closer to adding $4B upgrades to Su-30 jets - AeroTime". 26 January 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Centre clears proposal to buy 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets". Indian Express. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Les Rafale indiens porteront la dénomination Rafale EH et Rafale DH - Defens'Aero". defens-aero.com. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  12. ^ Jennings, Gareth (6 August 2014). "Indian Air Force Jaguar lost on training sortie". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 51 (37). ISSN 2048-3430.
  13. ^ https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=98881
  14. ^ "Ladakh face-off: India to order 2 more Israeli 'eyes in sky' for $1 billion". The Times of India. 27 August 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  15. ^ Menon, Jay (23 April 2013). "RFP Coming Soon For Indian Airborne Jamming Aircraft". aviationweek.com. AWIN First.
  16. ^ "India's Air Force One takes off on first official flight". dna. PTI. 1 April 2009.
  17. ^ "PM's new special aircraft, equipped with missile defence systems, lands in Delhi". Hindustan Times. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  18. ^ "India gets first Embraer jet with Indian airborne radar tech". The Hindu Business Line. PTI. 17 August 2012.
  19. ^ Chandra, Atul (27 November 2015). "India receives last batch of Ukraine-upgraded An-32s". Flightglobal.com.
  20. ^ a b c Jackson, Paul; Munson, Kenneth; Peacock, Lindsay, eds. (2004). "HAL (Dornier) 228". Jane's All the World's Aircraft (95th year of issue 2004-2005. ed.). Coulsdon: Janes Information Group. p. 206. ISBN 0710626142.
  21. ^ "Govt Seals Mega Deal with Airbus for Purchase of 56 C-295 Military Transport Aircraft". News18. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  22. ^ "Purchase of Transport Aircraft". Press Information Bureau. 12 December 2011.
  23. ^ "About 50 Rudra Attack Helicopters To Be Acquired By The Indian Air Force". 16 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  24. ^ Pubby, Manu. "Indigenous light choppers get go-ahead, delivery in 2022". The Economic Times.
  25. ^ a b "CCS Approves Procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) Limited Series Production (LSP) from HAL for IAF (10) & IA(05)". www.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  26. ^ a b "IAF's Strengthened Arsenal: Acquisition of 97 Tejas Mk1A Jets Marks a Milestone". Financialexpress. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Pipistrel completes deliveries of Garud trainers to India | Jane's 360". archive.ph. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  28. ^ a b Mallapur, Chaitanya (4 May 2015). "India tops list of drone-importing nations". IndiaSpend. Business Standard.
  29. ^ a b c Bedi, Rahul (16 September 2015). "India to buy Heron TP UAVs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 52 (44). ISSN 2048-3430.
  30. ^ "Aero India 2023: IAF to receive 100 loitering munitions from TASL". Janes.com. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  31. ^ a b c "Army Chief says LCH good for high altitude; Army to procure 95 of them". Financialexpress. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Watch: IAF's Apache-like Made in India Light Combat Helicopter". The Economic Times. 27 September 2022. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
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  34. ^ "India orders Hermes 900 for army, navy". Janes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  35. ^ "India Buys 4 Israeli Herons, to Upgrade Them With Missiles as Army, IAF, Navy Ramp Up Drone Inventory". News18.
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  37. ^ a b Bedi, Rahul (20 February 2013). "India signs up for more Heron UAVs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 50 (12). ISSN 2048-3430.
  38. ^ "Show aircraft class: IAI Searcher". milpower.
  39. ^ a b "Indian Army signs $20 mn contract with ideaForge to procure SWITCH drones". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  40. ^ "Switch Prime" (PDF). ideaForge. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  41. ^ a b c d "Indian army receives its first swarm drones from newspace". The IGMP (9 march 2023).
  42. ^ a b "First Look At Indian Army's New Cargo Drones For Ladakh". livefistdefence. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  43. ^ "Dorniers | INAS 550 – The Flying Fish". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  44. ^ Hiranandani, G. M. (2005). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. Lancer Publishers. p. 99. ISBN 9788170622666.
  45. ^ Sentinels, India. "Lockheed Martin delivers 6th MH-60R 'Romeo' helicopter to Indian Navy". www.indiasentinels.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  46. ^ "Romeos are coming to India! Long wait for MH-60R multi-mission helicopter for Indian Navy is over". Financialexpress. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  47. ^ Peri, Dinakar (25 November 2020). "Navy inducts two Sea Guardian drones on lease from U.S." The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  48. ^ "India's first indigenously manufactured UAV 'Drishti 10 Starliner' flagged off". Hindustan Times. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  49. ^ "Navy gets first India-made long endurance Drishti 10 Starliner drone". India Today. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  50. ^ a b "The Military Balance 2023". International Institute for Strategic Studies. p. 252. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  51. ^ "Army Clears Grounded 'Dhruv' Chopper Fleet For Flight, But Conditions Apply". NDTV.com. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  52. ^ "Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III squadron, 840 Sqn (CG), commissioned in Chennai". www.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  53. ^ "Indian Coast Guard looks for new helicopters, rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicles". The Hindu. 26 November 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 13 August 2023.

External links

Indian Armed Forces
Lists of aircraft
Categories