Can you tell me about the current strength of IAF or Indian Air Force?

The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. It is the world's fourth largest air force in terms of both personnel and aircraft. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict.

The President of India serves as Supreme Commander of the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff, an Air Chief Marshal, is a four-star officer and commands the Air Force.

IAF Strength

The public policy organization GlobalSecurity.org had estimated that the IAF (Indian Air Force) had an estimated strength of 110,000 active personnel in 1994.

In 2006, Anthony Cordesman estimated that strength to be 170,000 in the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) publication "The Asian Conventional Military Balance in 2006".

In 2010, James Hackett revised that estimate to an approximate strength of 127,000 active personnel in the IISS publication "Military Balance 2010".

In July 2016, the Indian Air Force had an authorized strength of 12,244 officers and 138,596 enlisted personnel. There was a shortage of 29 officers with the held strength of 12,215 officers. Similarly, there was a shortage of 10,380 enlisted personnel with the held strength of 128,216.

Indian Air Force Today

The Indian Air Force has seven commands, of which five are operational and two functional, namely:

• HQ Central Air Command, Allahabad
• HQ Eastern Air Command, Shillong
• HQ Western Air Command, New Delhi
• HQ Southern Air Command, Thiruvananthapuram
• HQ South-Western Air Command, Gandhi Nagar
• HQ Maintenance Command, Nagpur and
• HQ Training Command, Bangalore