What Are the IAF’s Primary Fighter Aircraft?

About India’s Primary Fighter Aircraft

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates a mixed fleet of indigenous and imported fighters spanning multiple technology generations.
• Its primary frontline combat strength currently rests on three platforms — the HAL Tejas (light fighter), the Sukhoi Su-30MKI (heavy multirole fighter), and the Dassault Rafale (4.5-generation multirole fighter) — each fulfilling a distinct operational role within the force.

HAL Tejas

• Origin & Development: Indigenous 4.5-generation light combat aircraft developed by ADA and manufactured by HAL; LCA programme sanctioned in 1983 to replace MiG-21s and named “Tejas” in 2003.
• Variants: Mk1 (GE F404 engine, ~13.5-tonne MTOW); Mk1A (AESA radar, EW suite, OBOGS, aerial refuelling); Mk2/MWF (17.5-tonne class, GE F414 engine, canards, IRST; precursor to AMCA).
• Weapons & Systems: Features quadruplex digital fly-by-wire, carbon-fibre composites and a 23-mm GSh-23 cannon; integrates Astra Mk-1, ASRAAM and AASM Hammer, with BrahMos-NG and SCALP-EG planned.
• Procurement & Exports: 83 Mk1A ordered in 2021 for ~₹48,000 crore, followed by 97 more for ~₹62,370 crore; export interest reported from Malaysia, Argentina, Egypt, Nigeria, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Sukhoi Su-30MKI

• Profile: Twin-engine, two-seat heavy multirole fighter and the IAF’s backbone, combining Russian design with Indian, French and Israeli avionics; NATO reporting name Flanker-H.
• Specifications: Powered by twin AL-31FP thrust-vectoring engines, reaches Mach 1.9–2.0, has ~3,000 km unrefuelled range (up to 8,000 km with refuelling), carries 8-tonne payload on 12 hardpoints and is the main BrahMos carrier.
• “Super Sukhoi” Upgrade: ~₹60,000–63,000 crore upgrade of 84 aircraft with Virupaksha GaN AESA radar, Dhruti RWR, NavIC-based anti-jamming navigation and AI-driven predictive maintenance; HAL is also producing 12 new jets with increased indigenous content.

Dassault Rafale

• Procurement: Selected under the 126-aircraft MMRCA tender in 2012, but the deal was shelved in 2015; a 2016 IGA procured 36 Rafales for €7.8 billion (~₹58,000 crore). 26 Rafale-M jets were contracted in 2025 for ~₹63,000 crore, while a 114-aircraft MRFA proposal was cleared in 2026.
• Specifications & Weapons: Twin SNECMA M88 engines, Mach 1.8 top speed and supercruise capability; equipped with RBE2 AESA radar and SPECTRA EW suite, and carries Meteor, MICA, SCALP, HAMMER and Exocet AM39 missiles.
• Operational Role: Used in Operation Sindoor (2025) for precision-strike missions and integrated with Su-30MKIs for BVR operations; Rafale-M is expected to strengthen carrier aviation alongside the indigenous TEDBF programme.

Conclusion

Together, the Tejas, Su-30MKI, and Rafale anchor the IAF’s light, heavy, and multirole fighter segments respectively, reflecting a blended strategy of indigenous development and imported capability aimed at sustaining air superiority across the spectrum of combat roles.