New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has secured the third position in worldwide air power rankings compiled by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), moving ahead of China. The United States maintains its top position, with Russia holding second place. China's air force now ranks fourth in these assessments. According to the rankings, the US Air Force leads with a TruVal Rating of 242.9, followed by Russia at 114.2. India has achieved a rating of 69.4, while China trails at 63.8. Other notable rankings include Japan (58.1), Israel (56.3), France (55.3), and the UK (55.3). Pakistan's rating stands at 46.3.

Why India Surpassed China

The WDMMA analysis highlights that India's air force demonstrates superior balance in its composition. The IAF's fleet consists of 31.6% dedicated fighter aircraft, 29% helicopters, and 21.8% training aircraft. While China's air force has a higher proportion of fighters at 52.9% and trainers at 28.4%, the report emphasizes India's more well-rounded force structure.  India currently operates advanced 4.5-generation platforms including the Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, and indigenous Tejas fighters, alongside fourth-generation aircraft like the MiG-29 and Mirage 2000. Future additions include domestically developed platforms such as the LCA-Mk1A, LCA-Mk2, MRFA, and AMCA. China's inventory features fifth-generation J-20 and J-35 aircraft, along with 4.5-generation J-10C and J-16 jets.

The WDMMA developed this measurement system to evaluate global air forces through multiple dimensions including aircraft numbers, operational capabilities, support infrastructure, readiness levels, and overall fleet effectiveness. The organization's methodology goes beyond simple aircraft counts, incorporating factors like modernization efforts, logistical capabilities, offensive and defensive capacity, and fleet composition. Special emphasis is placed on often-underestimated categories such as specialized mission aircraft, strategic bombers, close air support capabilities, training programs, and planned acquisitions. Additional considerations include domestic aerospace manufacturing capabilities, force diversity, and operational experience.

How India Secured Third Place

The World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft evaluates each branch of the US military separately-the Air Force, Navy, Army Aviation, and Marine Corps-due to their independent command structures. When assessed this way, these American services occupy multiple top positions. However, when all U.S. air arms are counted as a single entity, India's Air Force rises to third place worldwide, overtaking China. This consolidated view is why most international media outlets report India as holding the number three spot in global air power. While the organization releases rankings for top-tier air forces, the complete listing of all 103 countries and their respective positions remains unavailable to the public.

Rankings:

1. United States Air Force
2. Russia
3. India
4. China 
5. Japan
6. Israel
7. France
8. United Kingdom

While the exact numerical position of Pakistan is not known, reports state that Pakistan's TVR of 46.3 indicates it falls somewhere after the 10th position in the comprehensive global rankings.

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