IAF Equipment and Force Structure Requirements to Meet External Threats, 2032

In keeping with the theme ‘IAF Deep Multidimensional Change 2032: Imperatives and a Roadmap’, this article focuses on the responses to the external threat challenges that are likely to be face by IAF in 2032. The seexternal challenges have been identified to be the individual Chinese and Pakistani threats as well as a combined Sino-Pak threat. The article confines itself to developing a possible force structure only in terms of numbers of combat and support aircraft of various types for 2032. It contains an examination of the currently planned IAF structure for the year 2022 and beyond, against the war-gamed force requirement for winning wars along our borders while retaining capability to project force in areas of national interest beyond our borders. The article underscores the fact that the current plan for the force structure requires to be enhanced to meet the challenges successfully.