The United Kingdom's Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv
Smyth is in India to boost military ties between the two
countries in the face of emerging security challenges.
The CAS began his
three-day visit by paying homage to the fallen soldiers at the
National War Memorial and reviewed the Guard of Honour by the
Indian Air Force (IAF).
He met India's Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh to discuss
evolving security threats and ways to further strengthen the
partnership between the two air forces, which has soared to new
heights with recent joint training and educational exchanges.
In February this year, the UK and India signed an agreement under
which the Indian Air Force will deploy three Qualified Flying
Instructors to Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in the UK – the training
base for British fast jet pilots. The two air chiefs will travel
to Air Force Station Gwalior to understand IAF's operational procedures and best
practices in countering new-age aerial threats.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Harv Smyth, Chief of the Air Staff, said:
It is a privilege to visit India and further strengthen our
defence partnership, hosted by my esteemed colleague and good
friend, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh. The planned arrival
this September of Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors
at RAF Valley - joining the
IAFinstructor already
contributing at RAF College
Cranwell - illustrates the depth of trust, shared
professionalism, and mutual commitment that underpin our
relationship.
These exchanges, together with our expanding training and
operational cooperation, demonstrate the enduring bonds between
the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force, and our shared
dedication to security, stability, and technological excellence.
I look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to
deepen the cooperation between our air forces in the years ahead.
Commodore MBE Royal Navy, Defence
Adviser, British High Commission, said:
This visit by the UK Chief of the Air Staff emphasises the
significance of the UK-India defence relationship and the
continued momentum with which it is building.
Embedding IAF instructors
within our instructor cadre at RAF Valley and RAF College Cranwell, as well as those
from other Services, alongside increasingly complex air
exercising and multi domain cooperation, represents a
tangible and substantive strengthening of defence ties in
all domains.
As the fourth and most senior flag-rank visitor from the UK to
India in 2026, this visit clearly signals the strategic
importance both nations place on developing a strong defence
partnership.
During the visit, the CAS is also expected to hold
discussions with other members of India's civil and military
leadership.
Further information:
- This is the fourth visit by a senior flag-rank officer from
the UK to India in 2026.
- In addition to RAF
Valley, an IAF instructor
is also deployed at RAF
College Cranwell.
- The Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth has an officer
from the Indian Navy as one of its instructors since May 2024.
This development was followed by the deployment of an Indian Army
officer to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2025 as an
instructor.
- In 2025, the UK and India conducted the largest ever maritime
exercise involving the Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) of both the navies. The
CSGengagement also
included a separate air defence exercise, involving fast jet
aircraft from the Royal Navy, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
- This was closely followed by joint army exercise Ajeya
Warrior in Rajasthan where 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles exercised with
the 21 Sikh Regiment.
- In 2023, the Indian Air Force participated in the UK's
multi-lateral air exercise Cobra Warrior for the first time. In
2024, the Royal Air Force was amongst the participants for
IAF's first multi-lateral
air combat exercise Tarang Shakti.
