Shrinking fleet poses tough choices for IAF

IAF wants more medium fighters, shortfall in light fighters is worrying, as MiG fleet retires soon

Last Wednesday, the retiring Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, declared in New Delhi that IAF requires 200 to 250 medium fighters in addition to 36 Rafale multi-role fighters that were contracted with French vendor Dassault earlier this year.

The 36-Rafale contract was signed for €7.8 billion (Rs 55,600 crore). Another 200 Rafales, or comparable fighters, would require  €43.3 billion (Rs 310,000 crore), far beyond India’s means given the current defence spending.

But Raha did not hesitate to put the requirement on the table. “We have just ordered 36 aircraft and we require more aircraft in