Celebrated on October 8 each year, Indian Air Force Day is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the Indian Air Force in 1932. This day honors the courageous efforts of the IAF which plays a crucial role in defending India’s skies, from potential threats. The IAF boasts of being the most advanced and well equipped military arms in the world. This year marks the 92nd celebration of the forces in Marina Beach in Chennai, with the IAF airshow on Sunday, which starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. The event will see guests such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. This years theme- “ ‘Bharatiya Vayusena: Saksham, Sashakt aur Aatmnirbhar’ (Potent, Powerful, and Self-Reliant), emphasizes IAF’s self reliance and modernisation which is in line with the idea of Atmanirbhar Bharat. On this occasion, let us look at some of the most advanced fighter jets that strengthen the arsenal of the Indian Air Force.

This highly advanced twin-jet combat aircraft was designed by the French aerospace manufacturer, Dassault Aviation. It is widely considered one of the best fighter jets in the world and India, currently has 36 of them in its arsenal. The first squadron of Rafales were deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station. Dassault Raafale is known for its delta wing design and twin-engine setup, the Rafale can achieve impressive G-forces of up to 11G. From ground and maritime strikes and reconnaissance missions, to high-precision attacks, and nuclear deterrence- it has been built to tackle all kinds of threats.

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is a significant milestone of the Make in India campaign. Tejas was a result of India’s commitment to self-reliance. The Indian Air Force (IAF) received its first Tejas aircraft—a single-seat, single-engine, lightweight, and highly agile supersonic fighter—in July 2016. It features a delta-winged structure and is among India’s most advanced jets. Its naval prototype was also successfully inducted into the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier- INS Vikramaditya. This highly extensive aircraft system can perform a wide range of missions, including air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, as well as anti-ship attacks.

Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a multi-role combat aircraft which was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau. As per 2023, the IAF operated about 300 units of this aircraft. In October 2000, India entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia to initiate the licensed production of Su-30MKIs at HAL’s facility. 222 Squadron (Tigersharks), a new squadron is an advanced fighter jet that can carry Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles. In 2018, India also conducted indigenous repairs to the aircraft and upgraded Su-30MKI was received by IAF in OCtober 2018.

MiG-21, nicknamed ‘Flying Coffin’, holds the distinction of being the most produced and widely sold fighter jet globally. The aircraft has been in commission in India for about 60 years now, and has undergone several upgrades to match up with the third-generation fighter jets. It was acquired from the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in 1961. An estimated 250 units serve in the IAF. The MiG-21 features a single-seat cockpit, and can acquire a maximum speed of 1.05 Mach (approximately 1300 km/h).

The Mirage-2000 had its inaugural flight in March 1978. This single-engine, fourth-generation fighter jet features several variants and is in service in various countries including India, the UAE, Qatar, Brazil, Taiwan, Greece, Peru, and Egypt. As per reports, Mirage-200 is equipped with nine hardpoints for carrying weapon systems, with five located on the fuselage and two on each wing. Further, the single-seat variant is equipped with two internally mounted 30mm guns, which have a high firing rate.