IAF Becomes World’s 3rd Most Powerful Air Force (2025)

Current Context: The WDMMA Global Air Powers Ranking 2025 was released in October 2025 by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA).

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) at the 3rd position globally, overtaking China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
• The United States Air Force (USAF) retained the top spot, followed by the Russian Air Force (RuAF) in 2nd place.
• India scored 69.4 in the TruVal Rating (TVR), ahead of China’s 63.8 TVR, reflecting stronger modernization and operational readiness.
• The evaluation covered 103 countries and 129 air services, considering fleet strength, technology, training, and indigenous industry.
• This marks the first time India has ranked above China, making the IAF the most powerful air force in Asia.
• It highlights India’s progress in self‑reliance (Aatmanirbharta) with platforms like Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A and indigenous missile systems.

Question:

Q.1 What position did the Indian Air Force (IAF) secure in the 2025 WDMMA Global Air Powers Ranking?
a) 1st
b) 2nd
c) 3rd
d) 4th

Answer: c) India moved up to 3rd place globally, surpassing China’s PLAAF for the first time, showing significant progress in modernization, indigenous capabilities, and operational efficiency.