5 Largest Air Forces in the World Heading into 2024

4. India

Aircraft Fleet: 1,645

India has one of the largest air forces in the world. Over the last few years, it has sought to replace its aging fleet of Russian fighters with more advanced western-made jets. According to Flight International, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has 36 Rafale fighter jets it procured from France, and plans to order more. This year, the General Electric Company signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to jointly develop fighter engines for IAF’s Tejas jets.