Air Forces comparison: China vs India
People's Liberation Army Air Force 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Local Name | 空军 (Kōngjūn) |
| Active aircraft | 3144 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 130 |
| Roundel |
|
Indian Air Force 🇮🇳
| Official Name | Indian Air Force |
| Local Name | भारतीय वायु सेना (Bhāratīya vāyu senā) |
| Active aircraft | 2229 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 792 |
| Roundel |
|
Chinese aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
1705 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
1019 | |
Training
|
16 | |
Transport
|
398 | |
UAV
|
0 | |
Other
|
6 | |
Indian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
704 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
899 | |
|
Training
|
290 | |
|
Transport
|
330 | |
|
UAV
|
0 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of Chinese Air Force fleet
Evolution of Indian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, China or India?
China has more military aircraft with 3,144 active aircraft compared to India's 2,229, a difference of 915 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or India?
China has more combat aircraft with 1,705 fighters and attack aircraft compared to India's 704.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or India?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,019 compared to India's 899.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or India?
China has more transport aircraft with 398 compared to India's 330.
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or India?
India has 792 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.