'Restore fighter strength': New IAF chief outlines roadmap, puts Tejas and AMCA on top

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit’s roadmap focuses on making the Indian Air Force ready, self-reliant and better coordinated. He wants the force to restore its fighter squadrons to the sanctioned level. He also wants Indian aircraft, sensors and weapons to become central to operations. The aim is not only to fight and win, but to deter conflict through credible air power.

His priorities are grouped under VAYU. The letters represent vision through vigilance and operational readiness, aatmanirbharta or self-reliance, yukti or tactical innovation, and unity across the three services. These ideas connect equipment, training, decision-making and cooperation. The article highlights Tejas Mk1A and Mk2, AMCA, Indian sensors and Indian weapons as key examples.

The IAF currently has 29 combat squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42. It is awaiting 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft and pursuing work on Mk2 and AMCA. Dixit also wants stronger welfare for personnel and families, while the force adapts to drones, cyber, space, artificial intelligence and electronic-spectrum threats.

A fighter squadron is a basic operational unit of fighter aircraft, pilots, maintenance teams and support personnel. It allows an air force to organize aircraft for training, alert duties and combat missions. The article uses “combat squadrons” as the key measure of fighter strength. A larger number generally gives commanders more aircraft and units to deploy, rotate and maintain.

For the IAF, restoring strength means rebuilding from 29 combat squadrons to the sanctioned level of 42. The difference is 13 squadrons. This is not simply a target for aircraft purchases. It also requires trained pilots, technicians, weapons, bases, spare parts and operational readiness. Aircraft must be available when needed, not merely ordered or produced.

The article identifies 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft as an important part of this effort. It also mentions the LCA Mk2, AMCA and a possible purchase of 114 Rafale jets. Dixit calls restoring sanctioned strength his foremost task because the current level falls short of planned operational needs.

The article gives two important figures for IAF combat strength. It says the force currently has 29 combat squadrons. It also says the sanctioned strength is 42. A combat squadron is an organized operational unit of fighter aircraft and its personnel. Squadron numbers help show how much air power can be prepared and sustained across different missions.

The gap is 13 squadrons. That shortfall matters because aircraft and crews cannot remain everywhere at once. Units may need to cover different parts of the country, train, maintain equipment and recover from demanding operations. A smaller force has less flexibility when several demands arise together. The article therefore describes the IAF as desperately seeking to raise fighter strength.

Dixit has made restoring the sanctioned level his foremost task. The IAF is waiting for 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft, while the LCA Mk2 and AMCA programmes continue. It is also hoping for an early deal with France for 114 Rafale jets. These efforts are intended to rebuild numbers over time.

When an air force has fewer fighter squadrons than required, it has less room to handle simultaneous demands. Units may have to cover more areas, missions and alerts with fewer aircraft. Maintenance or training can further reduce the number available at any moment. This can make sustained readiness harder and leave fewer reserves for unexpected developments.

The mechanism is simple: every squadron contributes aircraft, crews and support teams. If the force has fewer units, commanders must distribute limited capacity more carefully. Pilots and aircraft may face heavier pressure, while rotations become harder. Gaps can also reduce the ability to respond quickly across multiple locations. These are general operational consequences; the article specifically states that the IAF is seeking to raise its depleted strength.

The IAF has fallen to 29 combat squadrons against a sanctioned 42. Dixit says restoring that strength is his foremost task. The planned 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft, future Tejas Mk2 and AMCA, and possible Rafale deal could improve capacity. Stronger numbers would support readiness and credible deterrence.

Tejas is India’s Light Combat Aircraft programme. The article refers to Tejas Mk1A, the LCA Mk2 variant and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA. Tejas Mk1A is being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd under two contracts. The LCA Mk2 is under development by the Aeronautical Development Agency and HAL, while AMCA’s development framework is being finalized.

These programmes support self-reliance, or aatmanirbharta. Indigenous aircraft can be developed alongside Indian sensors and weapons, creating solutions tailored to India’s operational demands. The mechanism is not just national production. It is the ability to build, improve and hold these capabilities in numbers that support missions and readiness. Dixit says Indian solutions are the highest priority.

The IAF is awaiting 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft. Mk2 and AMCA represent later steps in the programme, while the force also seeks to restore 42 sanctioned squadrons. Together, these efforts could reduce dependence on external suppliers and strengthen India’s future air power, although the article does not give completion dates.

A mixed aircraft plan can balance two goals: building long-term national capability and expanding operational strength sooner. Indigenous programmes support aatmanirbharta, the self-reliance at the center of Dixit’s roadmap. Foreign aircraft can add an established capability while domestic aircraft are still being developed or produced. The article presents both paths as part of the effort to restore fighter numbers.

The domestic side includes 180 LCA Mk1A aircraft, followed by work on the LCA Mk2 and AMCA. The international side includes the IAF’s hope for an early deal with France for 114 Rafale jets. Together, these tracks could provide more aircraft while Indian designers and manufacturers advance their own systems. The article does not compare performance or delivery schedules.

The need is urgent because the IAF has 29 combat squadrons against a sanctioned 42. Dixit says Indian aircraft, sensors and weapons are the highest priority, but the Rafale possibility shows that foreign procurement remains part of the broader response. The mix aims to improve readiness while domestic programmes mature.

Air power depends on a network of capabilities working together. Fighter aircraft provide speed, reach and the ability to carry weapons. Sensors help find and track activity. Weapons turn information into effects. Drones add new systems to the battlefield, while cyber and space capabilities influence communications, awareness and operations. Electronic-spectrum capabilities can affect how systems communicate, detect and respond.

The key mechanism is combination. Information from sensors can guide aircraft and weapons. Cyber, space and electronic capabilities can shape the wider contest before or during an air operation. Drones and long-range precision weapons are among the technologies changing warfare. The article does not describe specific systems or tactics, but it emphasizes that these technologies are reshaping war.

Dixit says the IAF must transform for the next decade while remaining ready to fight and win. He links Indian sensors and weapons with aircraft held in numbers that meet operational demands. When capability, readiness and sufficient numbers are credible, they can help deter conflict. The article identifies deterrence as the central purpose of air power.