Air Forces comparison: United Kingdom vs India
India's air force fields 2,217 active aircraft — 3.5x United Kingdom's 640. The breakdown includes 151 vs 588 combat aircraft, 259 vs 993 helicopters, 59 vs 340 transport aircraft, 156 vs 290 trainers (United Kingdom vs India). United Kingdom has 41 aircraft on order vs 587 for India. The United Kingdom air force is officially the Royal Air Force.
Royal Air Force 🇬🇧
| Official Name | Royal Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 640 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 41 |
| Roundel |
|
Indian Air Force 🇮🇳
| Official Name | Indian Air Force |
| Local Name | भारतीय वायु सेना (Bhāratīya vāyu senā) |
| Active aircraft | 2217 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 587 |
| Roundel |
|
British aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
151 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
259 | |
Training
|
156 | |
Transport
|
59 | |
Other
|
15 | |
Indian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
588 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
993 | |
|
Training
|
290 | |
|
Transport
|
340 | |
|
Other
|
6 | |
Evolution of British Air Force fleet
Evolution of Indian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United Kingdom or India?
India has more military aircraft with 2,217 active aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 640, a difference of 1,577 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or India?
India has more combat aircraft with 588 fighters and attack aircraft compared to United Kingdom's 151.
Which country has more military helicopters, United Kingdom or India?
India operates more military helicopters with 993 compared to United Kingdom's 259.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United Kingdom or India?
India has more transport aircraft with 340 compared to United Kingdom's 59.
How do the United Kingdom and India air forces compare in size?
India's air force is 5.8 times larger than United Kingdom's in terms of total active aircraft (340 vs 59).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United Kingdom or India?
India has 587 aircraft on order compared to United Kingdom's 41.