Every Indian Military Aircraft in Service (2026)
India operates 2,256 aircraft across 44 distinct types as of 2026 — fighters, bombers, helicopters, transports, trainers and unmanned systems.
Fleet size by branch3 branches
2,256 active airframes across 44 types
Fighters & Combat Aircraft
588 active · 220 on order
Su-30 Flanker-C
Active259 BranchAir Force Service entry1996
Jaguar
Active112 BranchAir Force Service entry1972
MiG-29 Fulcrum
Active59 BranchAir Force Service entry1983
Mirage 2000
Active46 BranchAir Force Service entry1983
MiG-29K Fulcrum-D
Active40 BranchNavy Service entry2010
Rafale
Active36 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry2001
Tejas
Active36 BranchAir Force Service entry2015Military Helicopters
993 active · 235 on order
Dhruv
Active287 BranchArmy +2 Service entry2002
Mi-17 Hip-H
Active222 BranchAir Force Service entry1977
SA316 Alouette III
Active181 BranchAir Force +2 Service entry1961
SA315 Alouette II
Active151 BranchArmy +1 Service entry1957
SH-3 Sea King
Active31 BranchNavy Service entry1961
AH-64 Apache
Active28 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry1984
UH-60 Black Hawk
Active20 BranchNavy Service entry1979
CH-47 Chinook
Active15 BranchAir Force Service entry1962
Mi-24 Hind
Active15 BranchAir Force Service entry1972
Prachand
Active15 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry2021
Ka-27 Helix
Active14 BranchNavy Service entry1982
Ka-31
Active14 BranchNavy Service entry1995Transport & Tanker Aircraft
325 active · 54 on order
An-32 Cline
Active103 BranchAir Force Service entry1982
Do 228
Active90 BranchAir Force +1 Service entry1982
HS 748
Active56 BranchAir Force Service entry1961
Il-76 Candid
Active17 BranchAir Force Service entry1974
C-295 Persuader
Active16 BranchAir Force Service entry2001
C-130 Hercules
Active12 BranchAir Force Service entry1956
C-17 Globemaster III
Active11 BranchAir Force Service entry1993
Airbus A321
Active4 BranchAir Force Service entry1994
BN-2B Defender
Active4 BranchNavy Service entry1965
ERJ 135
Active3 BranchAir Force Service entry1997
Gulfstream III
Active3 BranchAir Force Service entry1980
BD-700 Global Express
Active2 BranchAir Force Service entry1999
Boeing 737
Active2 BranchAir Force Service entry1968
Gulfstream G100
Active2 BranchAir Force Service entry1985Special Mission Aircraft
21 active · 8 on order
Trainers
290 active · 70 on order
Unmanned Aircraft
39 active · 44 on order
Other National Fleets
National fleets — aircraft in service by country
- 🇺🇸 United States · all-time
- 🇷🇺 Russia · all-time
- 🇨🇳 China · all-time
- 🇮🇳 India · all-time
- 🇰🇷 South Korea · all-time
- 🇯🇵 Japan · all-time
- 🇵🇰 Pakistan · all-time
- 🇰🇵 North Korea · all-time
- 🇪🇬 Egypt · all-time
- 🇹🇷 Turkey · all-time
- 🇫🇷 France · all-time
- 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · all-time
- 🇮🇹 Italy · all-time
- 🇹🇼 Taiwan · all-time
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · all-time
- 🇮🇷 Iran · all-time
- 🇬🇷 Greece · all-time
- 🇩🇿 Algeria · all-time
- 🇩🇪 Germany · all-time
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · all-time
- 🇮🇱 Israel · all-time
- 🇧🇷 Brazil · all-time
- 🇪🇸 Spain · all-time
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia · all-time
- 🇵🇱 Poland · all-time
- 🇮🇶 Iraq · all-time
- 🇦🇺 Australia · all-time
- 🇨🇦 Canada · all-time
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine · all-time
- 🇦🇷 Argentina · all-time
Frequently Asked Questions
How many aircraft does the India military operate in 2026?
India operates 2,256 aircraft across 44 distinct types as of 2026, split between 3 service branches.
Which India service branch has the most aircraft?
The Indian Air Force operates the largest fleet with 1,621 active airframes across 35 types.
What is the most numerous India military aircraft?
The HAL Dhruv is the single most numerous airframe in India's inventory, with 287 active units.
Does this page include retired or stored aircraft?
No. Counts reflect airframes on active inventory in the most recent fleet snapshot. Retired, stored and test-only aircraft are excluded.