The Indian Air Force has been undergoing a modernization program to replace and upgrade outdated equipment since the late 1990s to meet modern standards. For that reason, it has started procuring and developing aircraft, weapons, associated technologies, and infrastructures. Some of these programs date back to the late 1980s. The primary focus of current modernization and upgrades is to replace aircraft purchased from the Soviet Union that currently form the backbone of the Air Force.
The Indian Airforce plans to attain a 42 squadron strength by 2035 and deploy 450 fighter jets each along the borders of Pakistan and China. The IAF will also acquire large numbers of stealthy autonomous UCAVs (DRDO AURA), swarm drones (ALFA-S) and uncrewed aircraft to transform into a fully advanced Network-Centric Force capable of sustained multi-role operations along the entire spectrum.
Upgrades
Super Sukhoi
According to the report, the ‘Super Sukhoi’ upgrade for the IAF's fleet of Su-30MKIs is in advanced levels of discussions, with modernisation plans for avionics, engines and weaponry on offer. The IAF, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Russian government have been working on the upgrade programme. The HAL Chief R Madhavan reportedly confirmed that technical proposals regarding the programme have been discussed as recently as last month.
"The configuration has not yet been finalized but the upgrade basically will include beyond visual range capability, new electronic warfare suites, an engine upgrade as well as a new radar," Madhavan said.
The current N011M Bars radar of the Su-30 MKI has a radar capable of searching objects to a range of 400 km and tracking them within 200 km of the range, however, the current radar is not an active electronically scanned array (AESA) Radar so it can be jammed but Super Sukhoi will have a modern AESA radar and top contender for that is X-BAND N036 Byelka AESA radar. It is the same radar used in Russian 5th generation fighter Su-57.
EW Capabilities of Sukhoi-30MKI would be enhanced by Indigenous DARE's High Band Jammer Pod (HBT), Dhruti Radar Warning System, and a Dual Color Missile Approach Warning System.
Under procurement
Fighter aircraft
HAL Tejas Mark 1/Mark 1A
HAL has already received orders for 40 aircraft of Mark 1 variant which will be delivered by 2022. On 3 February 2021, the Ministry of Defense signed the contract with HAL for the procurement of 83 advanced Tejas which includes 73 Mark 1A and 10 Mark 1 trainer variants with advanced AESA Radar, jammers, superior avionics, next-gen BVR missiles, better payload, and enhanced combat range. The induction of 123 Tejas Mark 1/Mark 1A will be completed by 2028.
100 Tejas Mark 1A aircraft are planned. IAF plans to operate 200+ Mark 1A.
MMRCA 2.0
On 3 January 2017, Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar addressed a media conference and announced plans for a competition to select a strategic partner to deliver "200 new single-engine fighters to be made in India, which will easily cost around (USD) $45 million apiece without weaponry" with an expectation that Lockheed Martin (USA) and Saab (Sweden) will pitch the F-16 Block 70 and Gripen, respectively.
An MoD official said that a global tender will be put to market in the first quarter of 2018, with a private company nominated as the strategic partner's production agency followed by a two or more year process to evaluate technical and financial bids and conduct trials, before the final government-to-government deal in 2021. This represents 11 squadrons of aircraft plus several 'attrition' aircraft.
However, the plan to acquire foreign-made single-engine fighters was replaced by induction indigenous aircraft Tejas of different variants.
Later the competition was declared to be exclusively open for twin-engine fighters of Rafale category. The contenders are Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Mig 35, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Sukhoi Su-35, Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F and Lockheed Martin F-21 (variant of F-16). NB Gripen and F-21 are single-engined.
AEWCS
The IAF plans to operate at least 19 Airborne early warning and control systems, out of which 15 are DRDO AWACS and 4 EL/W-2090.
Beriev A-50
In November, 2016, India signed another deal[5] to purchase two more AEW&C radar systems. The deal entails a purchase of further 2 systems of the AWACS for $1billion with deliveries scheduled within the next 3 years
Embraer R-99
six additional aircraft are being planned to be acquired by the Air Force as part of a $1 billion plan to add force multipliers in the Air Force