Challenges for Indian Air Force: 2032

This is the first in a four-article series on the theme ‘IAF Deep Multidimensional Change 2032: Imperatives and a Roadmap’. It examines the challenges that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to face when it completes a century in 2032. The main external challenges facing the IAF are the Chinese, Pakistani and Sino-Pak threat, and the need to build and maintain capability for Out of Area Contingency Operations. Internal threats identified fall under groups of technology, including the control of IAF’s equipment, cyber warfare, issues stemming from IAF’s unavoidable linkages with society at large and issues pertaining to IAF’s own organizational structure and policies. The three subsequent articles will discuss the ways and means to address these challenges as well as provide recommendations towards that end.