Friday 17 / October / 2025
India has overtaken China to become the third-largest air power in world, behind the United States and Russia, according to the latest World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) report, published by Newsweek.
China, long considered Asia's aviation leader, has now fallen to fourth place, in a shift that signals a shift in the continent's strategic balance. The WDMMA report covers 103 countries and 129 air services, tracking fleets of a total of 48.082 aircraft worldwide.
The United States remains at the top with air power that exceeds the combined fleets of Russia, China, India, South Korea and Japan. This undisputed superiority is supported by the fact that the US represents almost 40% of global military spending.
India now ranks third with a TruVal Rating (TVR) of 69.4, which measures not only the number of aircraft, but also offensive and defensive capabilities, logistics, modernization, and operational training.
Its fleet includes 1.716 aircraft, with a balanced composition: 31.6% fighter jets, 29% helicopters and 21.8% trainers. India, which is supplied by both the US and Russia, reflects its increasingly important geopolitical position.
India's newfound superiority was particularly evident during Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes in May against infrastructure in Pakistan and Kashmir in response to an April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26. The operation demonstrated high precision, coordination, and strike power, demonstrating the growing capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
China now stands with a TVR of 58.1. Although it continues to invest in technology and modernization, it lags behind India due to factors such as training, close air support, and the lack of specialized bomber units. The gap between the two powers shows that the number of aircraft is not enough without operational efficiency and strategic preparedness.
