Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:12pm on 10 Jul 2026,Friday Defence
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been ranked 3rd in the 2026 Global Airpower Rankings released by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), behind only the United States and Russia. The ranking marks the fifth consecutive year since 2022 that the IAF has been placed ahead of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), which is ranked 4th. Despite the achievement, the report highlights key capability gaps, including a shortage of fighter squadrons and the need for faster modernisation. The findings underline both the IAF's growing strength and the challenges it must address.
