Aging Fleet and Retirement Trends
India’s shortage is aggravated by the aging of legacy aircraft and their slated retirements. Several fighter types from the 1970s-90s era are nearing the end of service:
- MiG-21 Bison: Once the backbone of the IAF, the MiG-21 has already been nearly phased out. The last two Bison squadrons were slated for retirement by 2025. The IAF ended MiG-21 production in 2013, and only a handful of upgraded Bisons remain in service as of 2025.
- SEPECAT Jaguar: India’s strike fighter Jaguar began induction in the 1970s. Analysts project the Jaguar fleet will complete its life by circa 2032–33, removing about 3 squadrons by then.
- Dassault Mirage-2000: India’s Mirage-2000 (inducted 1980s) is due to retire in the early 2030s, along with its 3 squadrons.
- MiG-29 Fulcrum: The twin engine MiG-29 entered IAF service in the 1980s. With only 40 upgraded MiG-29s now, the plan is to phase them out as the Tejas Mk2 and other replacements arrive around 2033–35.
- MiG-27 and MiG-23: The MiG-27 (ground attack variant of the MiG-23) and MiG-23 themselves have already been retired (MiG-27s ended service in 2019).
- Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1: India’s only modern indigenous fighter (Tejas) has yet to reach full force levels. The IAF formed just two Tejas Mk1 squadrons (38 jets) as of 2024, far short of requirements.
- Other types: The lone Hawker Hunter and a few remaining MiG-21 variants also exited service.
The replacement rate is glacial. For instance, a European defense review notes that even if planned additions occur, squadron count may only rise to 35–36 by the mid 2030s still well below the 42 target. In short, India is losing squadrons faster than it can replace them. Without urgent remedies, the IAF risks squeezing below 30 squadrons in the coming years, an unprecedented nadir.
