Rafale Production Line in India Could Help IAF Get 60 Squadron
Current Situation First thing first, do note that IAF is looking at a precarious situation about its fighter strength. The fighter strength of the IAF has come down from the highest ever of 47.5 squadrons in the mid-1980s against sanctioned strength of 49 squadrons to a not-so-healthy 31 squadrons in 2025 and will be 29 squadrons at the end of 2025 when the last of 2 Mig 21 Bison squadrons are finally retired. This will go down further to 27 by 2032 end when the 2 oldest Jaguar squadrons are retired and most probably by 2035 all Jaguars are slated for retirement. Also, the entire fleet of 3 Mirage 2000 and 3 Mig 29 will also be retired from 2035 to 2036. This means IAF will have 21 squadrons by 2037 and when 5 squadrons of DARIN III Jagaurs are put up for retirement by 2040 then by 2045 IAF squadron number will touch 16. A recent report stated that IAF lost over 150 fighter jets due to de-induction/retirement in the last 10 years whereas Pakistan and China; the opp...