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Head-to-head

Air Forces comparison: Flag of China China vs Flag of India India

China's air force fields 6,341 active aircraft — 2.8:1 India's 2,256.

AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Roundel of China ChinaWorld #2 74.5
AIRS Index / 100

China leads on 7 of 7 categories

Roundel of India IndiaWorld #4 34.7
  • 234 Bombersweight ×100 · generation 0
  • 3,222 Combat aircraftweight ×50 · generation 588
  • 1,549 Helicoptersweight ×10 · era 993
  • 452 Transportweight ×10 325
  • 109 Special missionweight ×8 21
  • 190 UAVsweight ×10 39
  • 585 Trainersweight ×1 290
China India Bars: weighted contribution to the AIRS Index (airframes × category weight; combat and bombers by generation tier, helicopters by era; the enabler, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active airframes at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
China India Ratio
Official name People's Liberation Army Air Force Indian Air Force
Active aircraft 6,341 2,256 🇨🇳 2.8×
Aircraft on order 130 631 🇮🇳 4.9×
Combat aircraft 3,222 588 🇨🇳 5.5×
Combat share of fleet 50.8 % 26.1 % 🇨🇳 1.9×
Aircraft types in service 56 43 🇨🇳 1.3×
Main supplier China · 86 % Ex-USSR · 29 %
Show full breakdown · 6 more rowsHide the 6 extra rows
Bombers 234 0 🇨🇳
Helicopters 1,549 993 🇨🇳 1.6×
Transport aircraft 452 325 🇨🇳 1.4×
Special-mission aircraft 109 21 🇨🇳 5.2×
Trainers 585 290 🇨🇳 2.0×
UAVs 190 39 🇨🇳 4.9×
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
🇨🇳 ChinaJ-10 Vigorous Dragon ×608J-11 Responsive Dragon ×495J-16 Qianlong ×450
🇮🇳 IndiaDhruv ×287Su-30 Flanker-C ×259Mi-17 Hip-H ×222
Fleet evolution · China
Fleet evolution · India
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Analyst Assessment

Verdict
Edge: China

China's PLAAF holds a clear and widening advantage over India's Air Force, fielding roughly 3,700 aircraft including 2,043 combat types, a 234-strong H-6 bomber force and some 300 J-20 stealth fighters against India's 588 combat aircraft and no strategic bomber arm. India retains competitive pilot training depth and a large modernisation pipeline of 587 aircraft, but its mixed Russian, French and indigenous fleet and slower induction rate leave it second in both mass and technological currency.

Domain by domain
Fighter & multirole fleet Edge: China
🇨🇳 China2,043 combat aircraft, 55% of the fleet: about 300 J-20 stealth fighters, 365 J-11 and 271 J-10, offset by ageing J-7 (417) and J-8 (143) still on strength.
🇮🇳 India588 combat aircraft, 27% of the fleet: 259 Su-30MKI as the backbone, 112 Jaguar strike jets, 59 MiG-29, plus small Rafale and Tejas numbers. No fifth-generation type in service.
Strike & bombers Edge: China
🇨🇳 China234 H-6 bombers give a dedicated long-range, cruise-missile-capable strike arm able to hold targets across the Indo-Pacific at range; no comparable Indian counterpart exists.
🇮🇳 IndiaNo bomber category at all. Long-range strike rests on Su-30MKI with stand-off missiles and Jaguar, effectively a tactical rather than strategic reach.
ISR / AEW & tankers Edge: China
🇨🇳 China39 special-mission aircraft, largely Y-8-derived airframes for AEW, ELINT and maritime patrol, supporting a networked, sensor-led approach to air battle management.
🇮🇳 India18 special-mission aircraft, a smaller AEW&C and tanker pool that constrains persistent surveillance and the sustained reach of the Su-30 force.
Helicopters & rotary lift Even
🇨🇳 China1,019 helicopters: 258 Mi-17, 175 Z-19 and 141 Z-9 scouts/attack, 130 Z-8 medium lift, with 57 H120, 12 Z-10 and 11 Z-19 on order.
🇮🇳 India993 helicopters built around 287 indigenous Dhruv and 222 Mi-17, with ageing Alouette II/III (332) needing replacement; 156 Prachand and 75 Dhruv on order for high-altitude work.
Procurement pipeline & industry Edge: China
🇨🇳 China130 aircraft on order but 85% of the fleet home-supplied, with domestic lines running J-11, J-20, J-10 and H-6 — replacement capacity rather than order books is the metric.
🇮🇳 India587 aircraft on order — 182 Tejas, 156 Prachand, 26 Rafale, 40 C-295 — but only 29% Ex-USSR-sourced legacy fleet retirement offsets it, and deliveries stretch over years.
Wildcards
  • Himalayan basing constraints PLAAF airfields opposite India sit on the Tibetan plateau, where altitude cuts payload and fuel loads. Indian bases in the plains launch closer to full weight, partly offsetting the raw numerical imbalance along that frontier.
  • Supplier diversity and sustainment India draws on Russian, French, Israeli and indigenous lines: broad access but complex logistics and spares exposure. China's 85% domestic supply gives simpler sustainment and wartime resupply, though it concentrates risk in national industry.
  • Two-front commitment India must plan for simultaneous pressure on two borders, diluting a 588-aircraft combat force. China's fleet is far larger but is also apportioned across maritime, eastern and western theatres, not massed on one axis.
Analysis generated by a language model from the figures on this page and public sources; it is an informed reading, not a military assessment or a prediction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more military aircraft, China or India?
China has more military aircraft with 6,341 active aircraft compared to India's 2,256, a difference of 4,085 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, China or India?
China has more combat aircraft with 3,222 fighters and attack aircraft compared to India's 588.
Which country has more military helicopters, China or India?
China operates more military helicopters with 1,549 compared to India's 993.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, China or India?
China has more transport aircraft with 452 compared to India's 325.
Which country has more aircraft on order, China or India?
India has 631 aircraft on order compared to China's 130.