POLITICAL SCIENCE PROJECT

A GENERAL STUDY ON INDIAN AIR

FORCE
Project Submitted To:

Mr. KAMAL NARAYAN

(ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POLITICAL SCIENCE)

Submitted By:
Anand Singh
B.A. LLB (HONOURS)

Semester II, Section – A

Roll No: 31

HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY,

ATAL NAGAR, NAVA RAIPUR, CHHATTSGARH
 DECLARATION

I, Anand Singh hereby declare that, this project entitled, ‘A General Study of Indian Air
Force’submitted to Hidayatullah National Law University (Raipur), is record of anoriginal work
done by me under the guidance of Mr. Kamal Narayan, Faculty Member, H.N.L.U., Atal Nagar
and that no part of this work has been plagiarized.

Anand Singh

Date: 5th March, 2020

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I
I, Anand Singh, would like to humbly present this project to Mr. Kamal Narayan. I would first
of all like to express my most sincere gratitude to Mr. Kamal Narayan for his encouragement
and guidance regarding several aspects of this project. I am thankful for being given the
opportunity of doing a project on ‘A General Study of Indian Air Force.’

I am thankful to the IT lab assistants and the library staffs for facilitating my research by helping
me obtain the required material that was so integral to my completing this project.

I am thankful to my parents for their constant support and loving encouragement.

Last but definitely not the least; I am thankful to my seniors for all their support, tips and valuable
advice whenever needed. I hereby present this project with a humble heart.

ANAND SINGH
SEMESTER II, SECTION-A, ROLL NUMBER: 31
BA LLB (HONS.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• DECLARATION ………………………………………………………………………….I

II
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………………………II
• INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................1-2
• OBJECTIVES.......................................................................................................................3
• RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.........................................................................................3
• CHAPTER 1 – INDIAN AIR FORCE, AN INTEGRAL PART OF INDIAN MILITARY
FORCES……………………………………..…………..................................................4-6
• CHAPTER 2 - Aircraft Inventory of Indian Air Force………………………………….7-8
• CHAPTER 3 – India and Its Wars - The Development and Role of Air Force…………9-
11
• CHAPTER 4 – IAF Today and Prospects for the Future – What to do? .......................12-
13
• CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………...14

• REFRENCES……………………………………………………………………………..15

III
 INTRODUCTION

An air force or air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military branch that primarily
conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is
responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army or navy. Typically, air forces are
responsible for gaining control of the air, carrying out strategic and tactical bombing missions,
and providing support to land and naval forces often in the form of aerial reconnaissance and
close air support.

The term "air force" may also refer to a tactical air force or numbered air force, which is an
operational formation either within a national air force or comprising several air components
from allied nations. Air forces typically consist of a combination of fighters, bombers,
helicopters, transport planes and other aircraft.

Many air forces are also responsible for operations of the military space, intercontinental
ballistic missiles (ICBM), and communications equipment. Some air forces may command and
control other air defense assets such as anti-aircraft artillery, surface-to-air missiles, or anti-
ballistic missile warning networks and defensive systems. Some nations, principally Russia, the
former Soviet Union and countries who modelled their militaries along Soviet lines, have or had
an air defense force which is organizationally separate from their air force.

Peacetime/non-wartime activities of air forces may include air policing and air-sea rescue. Air
forces are not just composed of pilots, but also rely on a significant amount of support from
other personnel to operate. Logistics, security, intelligence, special operations, cyber space
support, maintenance, weapons loaders, and many other specialties are required by all air forces.

An independent air force is one which is a separate branch of a nation's armed forces and is, at
least nominally, treated as a military service on par with that of older services like navies or
armies. The British Royal Air Force was the first independent air force in the world. The RAF
was founded on 1 April 1918 by amalgamation the British Army's Royal Flying Corps and the
Royal Naval Air Service. On establishment the RAF comprised over 20,000 aircraft, was

1
commanded by a Chief of the Air Staff who held the rank of major-general and was governed by
its own government ministry.

As of 2020 USA owns the biggest air force among all the nations. USA Owns the largest
number of warplanes in the world which almost equals to the rest of the world put together.

The important part of any country, Air Force plays an important role in maintaining the security
of the country like other forces, but the Air Forces consist of a combination of bombers,
helicopters, fighter planes, transport planes, and other aircraft. Moreover, Air forces are majorly
responsible for operations of the military space, ICBM Intercontinental ballistic missiles and
communications. Every country has their Air Force, which helps them in creating deterrence to
other nations, as youngest of all the services Air forces, In its more than 65 years of existence,
has become the world's premier aerospace force. Its mission simply put is to defend the nation
through the control and exploitation of air and space.

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OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the importance of air force of a country in its defense.

2. To know the origins of the Indian Air Force and how it came into being.
3. To know about the different machines, missiles, aircrafts, artilleries of the Indian Air
Force.
4. To know about the various wars fought by Indian Air Force while helping Indian Army
and protecting the national security.
5. To know about different problems which the Air Force is facing and the various parts
which need to be updated in future.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The project is historical, descriptive and analytical in nature. It tries to explain the role of Indian
Air Force in Indian military services. Further, the project also enunciates what has been the
history of air force and what it can do to improve its future.

This study is done with the help of secondary data. This secondary information has been obtained
from published sources such as books, journals, newspapers, official websites and government
publication.

3
 CHAPTER 1 – INDIAN AIR FORCE, AN INTEGRAL PART OF
INDIAN MILITARY FORCES

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of
personnel and aircraft assets ranks fourth amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary
mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflict. It was
officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which
honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained
independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and
served in the name of Dominion of India. With the government's transition to a Republic in
1950, the prefix Royal was removed.

The President of India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. As of 1 July 2017,
139,576 personnel are in service with the Indian Air Force. The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief
marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command of the Air
Force. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the IAF. The rank of
Marshal of the Air Force has been conferred by the President of India on one occasion in history,
to Arjan Singh. On 26 January 2002 Singh became the first and so far, only five-star rank officer
of the IAF.

‘Nabhahsprsamdiptam’ is the motto of Indian Air Force, which means that ‘glory that touches
the sky’.

Rank Structure in Indian Air Force1 –

The Indian Air Force's rank structure is based on that of the Royal Air Force. The highest rank
attainable in the Indian Air Force is Marshal of the Indian Air Force, conferred by the President
of India after exceptional service during wartime. Marshal of the Indian Air ForceArjan Singh
was the only officer to have achieved this rank. The head of the Indian Air Force is the Chief of
the Air Staff, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air
Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, took office on 30 September 2019.

1
.Anon, (2020). http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/airforce.htm.

4
Officer Ranks-

To assist in the comparison of different countries' air force officer rank insignia, NATO rank
codes have been used. These are established codes for determining the seniority of officer and
other ranks in NATO countries for a particular joint task group or command structure, although
specific appointments designate a higher level of seniority over other equivalent rank codes in a
given situation. Officer ranks go from OF-1 up to OF-10; OF(D) being a special category for
trainee officers awaiting a commission.

NATO code- Indian ranks-

OF(D) Flight Cadet

OF-1 Flight Officer

OF-2 Flight Lieutenant

OF-3 Squadron Leader

OF-4 Wing Commander

OF-5 Group Captain

OF-6 Air Commodore

OF-7 Air Vice Marshsal

OF-8 Air Marshal

OF-9 Air Chief Marshal

OF-10 Marshal of the Indian Air Force

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The IAF rank of pilot officer is a rank in abeyance in the Air Force and is no longer in force, all
officers begin as flying officers upon commissioning.

Indian Air Force Stations-

The Indian Air Force currently operates seven Air Commands. Each Command is headed by an
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal.

The Air Force currently has over 60 air stations all over India. These are grouped into 7
commands viz. Western Air Command at Delhi, Eastern Air Command at Shillong, Central Air
Command at Prayagraj, Southern Air Command at Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), South
Western Air Command at Gandhinagar, formerly at Jodhpur, Training Command at Bangalore
and Maintenance Command at Nagpur.

There are a number of newer air stations being built as well, in line with India's strategic
doctrine. The Indian Navy has some separate air stations for its aviation wing. Western Air
Command which is headquartered in is the largest Air Command. It operates sixteen air stations
from Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and a couple of Air stations in
Uttar Pradesh. Eastern Air Command operates fifteen Air stations in Eastern and North-eastern
India. Central Air Command operates seven Air stations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
surrounding states of central India. Southern Air Command's tasks include protecting the vital
shipping routes. It operates nine air stations in Southern India and two in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. South Western Air Command is the front line of defence against Pakistan, this
important Command operates twelve air stations in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

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 CHAPTER 2 –Aircraft Inventory of Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force has aircraft and equipment of Russian (erstwhile Soviet Union), British,
French, Israeli, US and Indian origins with Russian aircraft dominating its inventory. Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) produces some of the Russian and British aircraft in India under
license. The exact number of aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force cannot be determined
with precision from open sources. Various reliable sources provide notably divergent estimates
for a variety of high-visibility aircraft. Flight International estimates there to be around 1,721
aircraft in service with the IAF, while the International Institute for Strategic Studies provides a
similar estimate of 1,724 aircraft. Both sources agree there are approximately 900 combat
capable (fighter, attack etc.) aircraft in the IAF.

Multi-role Fighters and Strike Aircrafts-

 Sukhoi Su-30MKI2: The IAF's primary air superiority fighter developed by Russia’s
Sukhoi and with the additional capability to conduct air-ground (strike) missions is
Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
 Mikoyan MiG-293: The Mikoyan MiG-29 known as Baaz (Hindi for Hawk) is a dedicated
air superiority fighter, its origin is Soviet Union and it constitutes a second line of defence
after the Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
 Dassault Mirage 2000: The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole jet fighter, known
as Vajra (Sanskrit for Diamond or thunderbolt) in Indian service, is the primary multirole
fighter. The IAF’s Mirage 2000 are scheduled to be phased out by 2030.

Airborne early warning and control system (AEW&CS)-

2
2.http://www.defenseworld.net/go/defensenews.jsp?catid=3&id=6377&h=Indian%20Force%20Opts
%20More%20Su-30MKI%20Despite%20Problems.
3
.India, P. (2020). 'MiG 29 combat aircraft upgradation in final stage at 11 BRD'. http://wap.business-
standard.com/article/pti-stories/mig-29-combat-aircraft-upgradation-in-final-stage-at-11-brd-
116092200679_1.html.

7
AEW&CS is a mobile, long-range radar surveillance and control centre for air defense. The IAF
is currently training the crew in operating the indigenously developed DRDO AEW&CS flying
on the Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft. The IAF also operates the EL/W-2090 Phalcon AEW&C
incorporated in a Beriev A-50 platform. A total of 3 such systems are currently in service, with
possible orders for 2 more. The two extra Phalcons are currently in negotiation over price
differences between Russia and India. India is also going ahead with Project India, an
inhouseAir Warning and Control System (AWACS) program to develop and deliver 6 Phalcon
class AWACS, based on DRDO work on the smaller AEW&CS.

Helicopters-

The HAL Dhruv serves primarily as a light utility helicopter in the IAF. In addition to transport
and utility roles, newer Dhruvs are also used as attack helicopters. Four Dhruvs are also operated
by the Indian Air Force Sarang Helicopter Display Team. The HAL Chetak is a light utility
helicopter and is used primarily for training, rescue and light transport roles in the IAF. The HAL
Chetak is being gradually replaced by HAL Dhruv. The HAL Cheetah is a light utility helicopter
used for high altitude operations. It is used for both transport and search-and-rescue missions in
the IAF.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles-

The IAF currently uses the IAI Searcher II and IAI Heron for reconnaissance and surveillance
purposes. The IAI Harpy serves as an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) which is
designed to attack radar systems. The IAF also operates the DRDO Lakshya which serves as
realistic towed aerial sub-targets for live fire training.

Land Based Missile System-

Surface-To Air Missiles-

The air force operates twenty-five squadrons of S-125 Pechora, two squadrons of Akash along
with a single squadron of SPYDER for air defense. Six squadrons of Akash were ordered in 2010
and an order for seven more squadrons is planned. An order for eighteen SPYDER systems was
placed in 2008, which is expected to be organized into a total of four squadrons.

8
Ballistic Missiles-

The IAF currently operates the Prithvi-II short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). The Prithvi-II is
an IAF-specific variant of the Prithvi ballistic missile.

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 CHAPTER 3 – India and Its Wars – The Development and Role of
the Air Force

Mission-

The IAF's mission is defined by the Armed Forces Act of 1947, the Constitution of India, and the
Air Force Act of 1950. It decrees that in the aerial battlespace:

Defense of India and every part there of including preparation for defense and all such acts as
may be conducive in times of war to its prosecution and after its termination to effective
demobilization.

In practice, this is taken as a directive meaning the IAF bears the responsibility of safeguarding
Indian airspace and thus furthering national interests in conjunction with the other branches of
the armed forces. The IAF provides close air support to the Indian Army troops on the battlefield
as well as strategic and tactical airlift capabilities.

The Indian Air Force, with highly trained crews, pilots, and access to modern military assets
provides India with the capacity to provide rapid response evacuation, search-and-rescue (SAR)
operations, and delivery of relief supplies to affected areas via cargo aircraft. The IAF provided
extensive assistance to relief operations during natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in
1998, the tsunami in 2004, and North India floods in 2013. The IAF has also undertaken relief
missions such as Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka.

IAF’s Various War-

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World War II (1939–1945) - During World War II, the IAF played an instrumental role in
halting the advance of the Japanese army in Burma, where the first IAF air strike was
executed. The target for this first mission was the Japanese military base in Arakan.The IAF
was mainly involved in strike, close air support, aerial reconnaissance, bomber escort and
path-finding.

Bangladesh Liberation War (1971)4 - By late 1971, the intensification of the independence
movement in erstwhile East Pakistan lead to the Bangladesh Liberation War between India
and Pakistan. On 3 December, India formally declared war against Pakistan following
massive preemptive strikes by the PAF against Indian Air Force installations in Srinagar,
Ambala, Sirsa, Halwara and Jodhpur. However, the IAF did not suffer significantly because
the leadership had anticipated such a move and precautions were taken. The Indian Air
Force was quick to respond to Pakistani air strikes, following which the PAF carried out
mostly defensive sorties. Towards the end of the war, IAF's transport planes dropped leaflets
over Dhaka urging the Pakistani forces to surrender, demoralizing Pakistani troops in East
Pakistan.

Kargil War (1999)5 -On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was called in to provide close air
support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing Kargil conflict with the use of
helicopters. The IAF strike was code named Operation SafedSagar. The first strikes were
launched on 26 May, when the Indian Air Force struck infiltrator positions with fighter aircraft
and helicopter gunships. The initial strikes saw MiG-27s carrying out offensive sorties, with
MiG-21s and later MiG-29s providing fighter cover. The IAF also deployed its radars and the
MiG-29 fighters in vast numbers to keep check on Pakistani military movements across the
border. Srinagar Airport was at this time closed to civilian air-traffic and dedicated to the Indian
Air Force.At the height of the conflict, the IAF was conducting over forty sorties daily over the
Kargil region. By 26 July, the Indian forces had successfully repulsed the Pakistani forces from
Kargil.

4
. Richard Sisson and Leo E. Rose, War and Secession: Pakistan, India and the Creation of Bangladesh, Berkeley,
Calif.: University of California Press, 1990.
5
. Anon, (2020): https://web.archive.org/web/20100723110003/http://indianairforce.nic.in/.

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2019 Balakot Air-strike6 - Following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in the
wake of the 2019 Pulwama attack allegedly carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed that killed forty-
six servicemen of the Central Reserve Police Force, a group of twelve Mirage 2000 fighter
planes from the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on alleged JeM bases in Chakothi and
Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Furthermore, the Mirage 2000s targeted an
alleged JeM training camp in Balakot, a town in the Pakistani province of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan claimed that the Indian aircraft had only dropped bombs in the forest
area demolishing pine trees near the Jaba village which is 19 kilometers away from Balakot.

2019 India-Pakistan Standoff7 - On 27 February 2019, in retaliation for the IAF bombing of an
alleged terrorist hideout in Balakot, a group of PAF F-16 and JF-17 fighters allegedly conducted
an airstrike against certain ground targets across the Line of Control. They were intercepted by a
group of IAF fighters consisting of Su-30MKI and MiG-21 jets. An ensuing dogfight began.
According to India, one PAF F-16 was shot down by an IAF MIG-21 piloted by
AbhinandanVarthaman, while Pakistan denied use of F-16 in the operation. According to
Pakistan, a MiG-21 and a Su30MKI were shot down, while India claims that only the MiG-21
was shot down. While the downed MiG-21's pilot had ejected successfully, he landed in
Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and was captured by the Pakistan military. Before his capture
he was assaulted by a few locals. After a couple of days of captivity, the captured pilot was
released by Pakistan per Third Geneva conventionobligations. While Pakistan denied
involvement of any of its F-16 aircraft in the strike, the IAF presented remnants of the
AMRAAM (AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) that are carried by F-16
fighters as proof of their involvement.

6
.Businesstoday.in. (2020). India destroys JeM terror camps: Where exactly is Balakot?
https://www.businesstoday.in/top-story/india-destroys-jem-terror-camps-where-exactly-is-
balakot/story/322367.html.
7
.Businesstoday.in. (2020). Pakistan to release IAF pilot Abhinandan: What are Geneva Conventions ?
https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/pakistan-to-release-iaf-pilot-abhinandan-what-
are-geneva-conventions/story/323292.html.

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13
 CHAPTER 4 – IAF Today and Prospects for the Future – What to
do?

The number of aircraft in the IAF has been decreasing from the late 1990s due to the retirement
of older aircraft and several crashes. To deal with the depletion of force levels, the IAF has
started to modernize its fleet. This includes both the upgrade of existing aircraft, equipment and
infrastructure as well as induction of new aircraft and equipment, both indigenous and imported.
As new aircraft enter service and numbers recover, the IAF plans to have a fleet of 42 squadrons.

DRDO and HAL Projects –

Indian defence companies such as HAL and DRDO are developing several aircraft for the IAF
such as the HAL Tejas, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), DRDO AEW&CS
(revived from the Airavat Project), HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), HAL Light Utility
Helicopter (LUH), DRDO Rustomand AURA (Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft)
UCAV. DRDO has developed the Akash missile system for the IAF, DRDO is also developing
the Prithvi II ballistic missile.DRDO has now successfully developed the nuclear
capable Nirbhay cruise missile.

What to do8–

IAF is facing lack of funds, no one appears publicly to have a satisfactory solution to the very
serious problems facing the IAF, and we are not privy to official discussions on these matters.
Air Chief Marshal Kaul has reiterated the IAF's problems just as his predecessors have. He often
cites the need for spare parts, the requirement for an AMT, and the necessity to upgrade the MiG-
21bis. Always citing money as the issue, the government has tended to take no action on these
problems. Air Chief Marshal Kaul has started a survey to determine how best to cut the fat in the
LAF, but how much money such cuts will save is not clear. To give an idea of the problem,
obtaining as many new AJTs as the DAF desires would probably cost $3 billion-more than the
entire air force budget and about one-third the entire defense budget. Several retired IAF officers

8
. "The IAF Dilemma," Vayu Aerospace Review, VI/ 1992, pp. 2-6; and Jasjit Singh, "Affordable Defense of India,"
StrategicAnalysis, February 1994, pp. 1379-1409.

14
have written about the problems, although none seems to have a ready solution that matches the
funds available.

The major problems which the IAF is facing are –

 Lack of central direction and long term strategy.

 Outdated operational thinking.
 Absence of deep knowledge and awareness of the adversaries' capabilities.
 Obsolete/obsolescent weapons.
 Paucity of funds.
 Disinclination of the military bosses to face the politico-bureaucratic combine and to
accept some bitter but necessary measures specially related to reductions in force levels.

There is still a little time to remedy at least some of the above shortcomings. Some of these are in
the hands of the Services themselves, which could be attended to at the earliest. The IAF has not
made known, at least publicly, its position on force-size reduction, although it appears to oppose
It. In fact, little is known about how it sees its problems and whether it has a general plan for
addressing them. But hard decisions cannot be postponed much longer.

15
 CONCLUSION

The army remains the largest and most important of the three military services. It receives about
two-thirds of the defense budget, -is considered the main force In the defense of India against
outside attack, plays an important role In Internal security, and receives the greatest respect.

Support of the army is a top mission of the Indian Air Force. As we have seen, the IAF
performed this mission well in the 1971 Kargil war. The current air force leadership considers
air support to the army as one of its highest priorities-a position the IAF has not always taken.
However, the air force is not certain how well the army understands the use of air power in
support of army operations. The army, for its part, is not entirely sure how much and how well
the air force will support it. These inter-service concerns are not unique to India.

The air force considers the air defense of India to be its most important mission. This vital and
also independent role pleases the air force; in this role, it is not subordinated to the army. The
air force has performed this function reasonably well.

In spite of the current budget problems and political difficulties, India has not given up its desire
for military forces that it deems appropriate for its security and for a nation of its size and
importance. Increasingly, public concerns have surfaced over the present state of India's military
forces and the government's ability to develop defense policies and strategies. Some change in
the defense planning machinery appears to be in the air. Economic reforms appear to be
improving the economy-and may facilitate modest increases in the defense budget. Without
changes in IAF policy, leadership and accepted roles of the air force, and visibility, the future
looks very bright for the Indian Air Force.

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 REFRENCES

 https://indianairforce.nic.in/ - From this source the information about rank structure of

Indian Air Force and air stations has been collected.
 https://www.business-standard.com/- Information about different jet palnes, machines,
missiles have been collected from this source.
 https://www.businesstoday.in/ - Information about the origin and various wars fought by
Indian Air Force has been collected from this sorce.
 https://www.defenseworld.net/
 https://www.globalsecurity.org/

17