Template:More citations needed
The Indian Air Force currently operates seven Air Commands. Each command is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal.
The Air Force currently has over 60 air stations all over India. These are grouped into seven commands: Western Air Command at New Delhi, Delhi. Eastern Air Command at Shillong, Meghalaya. Central Air Command at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Southern Air Command at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. South Western Air Command at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Training Command at Bengaluru, Karnataka, and Maintenance Command at Nagpur, Maharashtra. The largest airbase is in Hindon, Uttar Pradesh.
Gwalior hosts the Indian Air Force's elite Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), a premier unit for advanced fighter pilot training in aerial tactics, comparable to the US Navy's TOPGUN, focusing on operational doctrines and tactics for aircraft.
There are a number of new air stations being built across India, in line with India's strategic doctrine. The Indian Navy has some separate air stations for its aviation wing.
The Western Air Command is the largest air command. It operates sixteen airforce stations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Eastern Air Command operates fifteen airforce stations in eastern and north-eastern India. The Central Air Command operates two airforce stations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and surrounding states of central India. Southern Air Command's tasks include protecting the vital shipping routes. It operates nine air stations in Southern India and two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. South Western Air Command is the front line of defence against Pakistan. This important command operates twelve air stations in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
List of air stations
Template:Maplink Template:GeoGroup
Note: Station and unit details are from Scramble.nl (2009) and outdated.[1] Article needs to be revised/updated.
| Station | ICAO | Runway | Elevation | Geographical coordinates | State/territory | Wing | Squadrons | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Air Command | ||||||||
| Adampur AFS | VIAX | 13/31 | 775 ft / 236 m | Template:Coord | Punjab | 8th Wing | No. 47 Squadron | Mikoyan MiG-29 |
| Ambala AFS | VIAM | 12L/30R 12R/30L |
900 ft / 274 m | Template:Coord | Haryana | 7 Wing | No. 5 Squadron
14 Sqn Missile and UAV Squadron 2209 & Squadron 2251S |
SEPECAT Jaguar |
| Amritsar AFS | VIAR | 16/34 | 755 ft / 230 m | Template:Coord | Punjab | 1 FBSU | - | - |
| Awantipur AFS | VIAW | 12/30 | 5,400 ft / 1,646 m | Template:Coord | Jammu & Kashmir | 8 FBSU | - | - |
| Bathinda AFS | VIBT | 13/31 | 700 ft /213 m | Template:Coord | Punjab | 34 Wing | No. 17 Squadron | Dassault Rafale |
| Chandigarh AFS | VICG | 11/29 | 1,012 ft / 308 m | Template:Coord | Chandigarh | 12 Wing/3 BRD | No. 44 Squadron | Transport:
Helicopters: |
| Gurugram AFS[2][3][4] | Logistics base | Template:Coord | Haryana | IFC and IMAC.[5][6] | - | - | ||
| Faridabad AFS | Logistics base | Template:Coord | Haryana | 54 ASP, 56th Air Storage Park, Guard dog training.[7][8][9][10] | - | - | ||
| Halwara AFS | VIHX | 13/31 | 790 ft / 241 m | Template:Coord | Punjab | 9 Wing, | No. 220 Squadron IAF | Sukhoi Su-30MKI |
| Hindon AFS | VIDX | 09/27 | 700 ft / 213 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 28 Wing | No. 77 Squadron | Transport:
Helicopters: |
| Vadsar AFS | AFS | - | - | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 47 Signal Unit | - | - |
| Jammu AFS | VIJU | 18/36 | 1029 ft /
314 m |
32°41′21″N 074°50′15″E | Jammu & Kashmir | 23 Wing | No. 153 Helicopter Unit | Helicopters:
Combat Jets: |
| Leh AFS | VILH | 06/24 07R/25L 07L/25R |
10,682 ft/ 3,256 m | Template:Coord | Ladakh | 21 Wing | No. 114 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-17 |
| Mudh-Nyoma AFS[11] | 13,700 ft/ 4,200 m | Ladakh | ||||||
| Palam AFS | VIDP | 09/27 10/28 |
776 ft / 237 m | Template:Coord | Delhi | 3 Wing | No. 41 Squadron | Hawker Siddeley HS 748 |
| Pathankot AFS | VIPK | 01/19 | 1,017 ft / 310 m | Template:Coord | Punjab | 18 Wing | No. 125 Helicopter Squadron | Helicopters:
(operated by both the squadrons) |
| Sarsawa AFS | VISP | 09/27 | 891 ft / 272 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 30 Wing | No. 117 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-17 |
| Sirsa AFS | VISX | 05/23 | 650 ft / 198 m | Template:Coord | Haryana | 45 Wing | ||
| Srinagar AFS | VISR | 13/31 | 5,458 ft / 1,664 m | Template:Coord | Jammu & Kashmir | 1 Wing | No. 223 Squadron | Mikoyan MiG-29 |
| Udhampur AFS | VIUX | 18/36 | 1,950 ft / 594 m | Template:Coord | Jammu & Kashmir | HQ AOC J&K
39 Wing |
No. 132 Helicopter Flight | HAL Cheetah |
| Eastern Air Command | ||||||||
| Purnea AFS | VEPU | 18/36 | 412 ft / 125 m | 25°45′35″N 087°24′36″E | Bihar | 14FBSU | - | - |
| Bagdogra AFS | VEBD | 18/36 | 412 ft / 125 m | Template:Coord | West Bengal | 20 Wing | No. 156 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-17 |
| Barapani AFS | VEBI | 04/22 | 2910 ft / 886 m | Template:Coord | Meghalaya | |||
| Barrackpore AFS | VEBR | 02/20 | 18 ft / 5 m | Template:Coord | West Bengal | 6 Wing | No. 157 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-17 |
| Chabua AFS | VECA | 05/23 | 350 ft / 107 m | Template:Coord | Assam | 14 Wing | No. 102 Squadron | Sukhoi Su-30MKI |
| Hasimara AFS | VEHX | 11L/29R 11R/29L |
340 ft /104 m | Template:Coord | West Bengal | 16 Wing | No. 101 Squadron IAF | Dassault Rafale |
| Jorhat AFS | VEJT | 04/22 | 284 ft / 87 m | Template:Coord | Assam | 10 Wing | No. 43 Squadron | Antonov An-32 |
| Kalaikunda AFS | VEDX | 17/35 | 200 ft / 60 m | Template:Coord | West Bengal | 5th Wing(Sqdn18 with MiG27s & OCU with MiG21s) | ||
| Kumbhigram AFS | VEKU | 06/24 | 352 ft / 107 m | Template:Coord | Assam | 22 Wing | No. 110 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-8 |
| Mohanbari AFS | VEMN | 05/23 | 361 ft / 110 m | Template:Coord | Assam | 42 Wing | No. 127 Helicopter Unit | Mil Mi-17 |
| Mountain Shadow AFS | VEGT | 05/23 | 350 ft / 107 m | Template:Coord | Assam | |||
| Panagarh AFS | VEPH | 15/33 | 240 ft / 73 m | Template:Coord | West Bengal | 62 SU, 87 Squadron | No. 87 Squadron | C-130J Super Hercules |
| Salua AFS | Template:Coord | West Bengal | Radar station[12] | |||||
| Tawang AFS | VETW | 8,756 ft / 2,669 m | Template:Coord | Arunachal Pradesh | ||||
| Tezpur AFS | VETZ | 04/22 | 240 ft / 73 m | Template:Coord | Assam | 11 Wing | No. 2 Squadron | Sukhoi Su-30MKI |
| Central Air Command | ||||||||
| Agra AFS | VIAG | 05/23 12/30 |
551 ft 167 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 4 Wing | No. 12 Squadron | Transport:
AEW&C: |
| Bakshi Ka Talab AFS | VIBL | 09/27 | 385 ft/ 117 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | AD Flight | ||
| Bamrauli AFS | VEAB | 06/24 12/30 |
322 ft/ 98 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 29 Wing | ||
| Bareilly AFS | VIBY | 11/29 | 565 ft/ 172 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 15 Wing | No. 111 Helicopter Unit | Helicopters:
Combat Jets: |
| Bihta AFS | 07/25 | 52 ft 170 m | Template:Coord | Bihar | ||||
| Chakeri AFS | VICX | 01/19 09/27 |
410 ft/124 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | |||
| Darbhanga AFS | VEDH | 14/28 | 21 ft / 38 m | Template:Coord | Bihar | |||
| Gorakhpur AFS | VEGK | 11/29 | 259 ft / 78 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 17 Wing | No. 16 Squadron | Combat Jets:
Helicopters: |
| Gwalior AFS | VIGR | 06/24 | 617 ft / 188 m | Template:Coord | Madhya Pradesh | 40 Wing | No. 1 Squadron No. 7 Squadron No. 9 Squadron |
Elite Training School:
TACDE Fighter Jets: Dassault Mirage 2000 |
| Southern Air Command | ||||||||
| Car Nicobar AFS | VOCX | 02/20 | 42 ft / 13 m | Template:Coord | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 37 Wing | ||
| Sulur AFS | VOSX | 05/23 | 1,250 ft / 381 m | Template:Coord | Tamil Nadu | 43 Wing
5 BRD 24 TETTRA School 6 AFH |
109 HU | Transport:
Helicopters: Mil Mi-17 Combat Jets: |
| Port Blair AFS | VOPB | 04/22 | 16 m /5 m | Template:Coord | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | |||
| Tambaram AFS | VOTX | 05/23 12/30 |
90 ft / 27 m | Template:Coord | Tamil Nadu | |||
| Thanjavur AFS | VOTJ | 07/25 | 253 ft / 77 m | Template:Coord | Tamil Nadu | 47 Wing | No. 222 Squadron | Sukhoi Su-30MKI |
| South Western Air Command | ||||||||
| Suratgarh AFS | VISG | 05/23 | 560 ft / 170 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 35 Wing | No. 104 Helicopter Squadron | Helicopters: |
| Bhuj AFS | VABJ | 05/23 | 268 ft / 82 m | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 27 Wing | ||
| Deesa AFS | VADS | 06/24 | 485 ft / 148 m | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 52 Wing | ||
| Jaisalmer AFS | VIJR | 04/22 | 887 ft / 270 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 41 Wing | ||
| Jamnagar AFS | VAJM | 06/24 12/30 |
69 ft / 21 m | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 33 Wing | No. 6 Squadron
No. 28 Squadron |
|
| Jodhpur AFS | VIJO | 05/23 | 717 ft / 219 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 32 Wing | No. 31
No. 107 Helicopter Unit No. 116 Helicopter Unit No. 143 Helicopter Unit |
Combat Jets :
Sukhoi 30Mki Helicopters: Mil Mi-17 HAL Rudra HAL Chetak HAL Prachand |
| Lohegaon AFS | VAPO | 10/28 14/32 |
1,942 ft / 592 m | Template:Coord | Maharashtra | 2 Wing | No. 20 Squadron | |
| Nal-Bikaner AFS | VIBK | 05/23 | 750 ft / 229 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 46 Wing | No. 3 Squadron | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 |
| Naliya AFS | VANY | 06/24 | 68 ft / 21 m | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 49 Wing | No. 18 Squadron | HAL Tejas |
| Phalodi AFS | 05/23 | 700 ft / 213 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 35 Wing | No. 23 Squadron | ||
| Uttarlai AFS | VIUT | 02/20 | 500 ft / 152 m | Template:Coord | Rajasthan | 5 FBSU | No. 4 Squadron | |
| Makarpura AFS | VABO | 04/22 | 127 ft / 38.7 m | Template:Coord | Gujarat | 36 Wing | No. 11 Squadron | |
| Training Command | ||||||||
| Begumpet AFS | VOHY | 09/27 14/32 |
1,741 ft / 531 m | Template:Coord | Telangana | |||
| Bidar AFS | VOBR | 02/20 08/26 |
2,178 ft / 663 m | Template:Coord | Karnataka | |||
| Dundigal AFS | VODG | 10L/28R 10R/28L |
2,013 ft / 614 m | Template:Coord | Telangana | |||
| Hakimpet AFS | VOHK | 09/27 | 2,020 ft / 616 m | Template:Coord | Telangana | |||
| Yelahanka AFS | VOYK | 09/27 | 3,045 ft / 928 m | Template:Coord | Karnataka | |||
| Admin Training Inst, Sambra, Belgaum | 2,500 ft / 762 m | Template:Coord | Karnataka | |||||
| Maintenance Command | ||||||||
| Nagpur AFS | VANP | 09/27 14/32 |
1,012 ft /308 m | Template:Coord | Maharashtra | 44 Wing | ||
| Ojhar AFS | VAOZ | 08/26 | 1,900 ft / 579 m | Template:Coord | Maharashtra | 11 BRD | ||
| Chandigarh AFS | VICG | 11/29 | 1,012 ft / 308 m | Template:Coord | Chandigarh | 12 Wing/3 BRD | ||
| Kanpur AFS | VECX | 09/27 | 410 ft / 126 m | Template:Coord | Uttar Pradesh | 1 BRD/4 BRD | ||
| Devlali AFS | Template:Coord | Maharashtra | Helicopter Maintenance Unit | |||||
The other Air Force stations that come under Maintenance Command are not air stations and are mostly signal units and station repair depots situated in different towns. Delhi, for example, has a few BRDs and SUs that come under Maintenance Command.
List of advance landing grounds
Along China border
Template:Anchor Template:See also The Chinese Military has an integrated Western Theater Command across the LAC with India.[14] The Indian military has divided the LAC into 3 sectors - the Western Sector across Ladakh and Chinese-held Aksai Chin, the Central Sector across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand states, and the Eastern Sector across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.[15] Similarly, the Indian Airforce has the Delhi-based Western Air Command, Prayagraj-based Central Air Command, and Shillong-based Eastern Air Command to cover the LAC.
- Ladakh
- Daulat Beg Oldi ALG[16] serves Trans-Karakoram Tract (Shaksgam), Aksai Chin and Siachen Glacier.
- Kargil Airport ALG
- Fukche ALG[16] serves the Demchok sector.
- Padum ALG[16] Serves Ladakh LAC and Kargil LOC as a second line of defence airport.
- Thoise ALG[17]
- Parma Valley ALG near Chushul (to be reactivated)[18][19][20]
- Himachal Pradesh shares a 250 km border with Tibet (China).[21]
- Shimla Airport,[21] civil airport available for military use. Serves Kaurik, Tashigang-Shipki La and Nelang-Pulam Sumda disputed area.
- Kullu-Manali Airport,[21] civil airport available for military use. Serves Kaurik, Tashigang, Shipki La, and the Nelang-Pulam Sumda disputed area.
- Kibber-Rangrik, surveyed as of July 2020,[21] construction was approved in the January 2023 to be completed by 2024–25.[22] Will be closest ALG to Chumar, Kaurik, and Tashigang-Shipki La disputed area.
- Uttarakhand has 350 km border with Tibet.[23]
- Chinyalisaur Airport ALG serves the disputed Barahoti and Nelang-Pulam Sumda sectors. ITBP has 42 BoPs (border outposts) in Barahoti sector and Mana Pass area (Nelang-Pulam Sumda sector).[23]
- Pithoragarh Airport ALG serves the disputed Kalapani territory.
- Gauchar Airport ALG.
- Sikkim
- Pakyong Airport AGL serves Doklam disputed area.
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Aalo ALG, formerly Along.[24][25]
- Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground.[24]
- Pasighat ALG[24]
- Tawang Air Force Station
- Tuting ALG[24]
- Vijoynagar ALG[24]
- Walong Advanced Landing Ground.[26]
- Ziro ALG[24][25]
- Daporijo ALG.[27][28]
- Alinye ALG, Dibang Valley District.[27][28]
- To be reactivated as of September 2025. The airstrip was utilised by the United States Air Force as a staging ground during The Hump airlift campaign of the World War II. Following the Indian Independence, the strip was converted into mud-paved runway. However, the plans to revive the facility never went through and has not seen combat service since 1947.[18]
- Hayuliang ALG, Anjaw District.
Along Pakistan border
List of road runways
See also
- Similar capabilities lists
- India-China Border Roads
- Indian military satellites
- List of active Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons
- List of Indian Navy bases
- List of active Indian Navy ships
- India's overseas military bases
- Indian Nuclear Command Authority
- Other related topics
- Armed Forces Special Operations Division
- Defence Cyber Agency
- Integrated Defence Staff
- Indian Armed Forces
- Strategic Forces Command
- Special Forces of India
References
- ↑ Scramble.nl, Indian Air Force Order of Battle Template:Webarchive, accessed October 2011
- ↑ Maruti to vacate area within restricted zone of Gurugram Air Force station. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
- ↑ Gurugram: 6,000 houses near air force ammunition depot face threat of demolition, Kumar, Kumar. indiatoday.in. India Today. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
- ↑ Haryana allows illegal Hotel within restricted zone of Gurgaon Air Force Station, Verma, Sanjeev. hindustantimes.com. Hindustan Times(2 February 2012). Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ↑ Indian Navy launches Information Fusion Centre to boost maritime security, The Week, 22 December 2018.
- ↑ Defence minister inaugurates Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurgaon, GKToday.
- ↑ 1980, "Haryana Review", Volume 14, Page 47.
- ↑ 2017, Fridabad disaster management plan, Govt of Haryana, p23.
- ↑ 13 Nov 2016, Ground Threat for air warriors, Times of India.
- ↑ 1991, Sainik Samachar: The Pictorial Weekly of the Armed Forces, p26.
- ↑ IAF chief lands C-130J, inaugurates Nyoma airbase in Ladakh, Singh, Rahul. Hindustan Times(2025-11-12). Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ↑ Indian Air Force :: Air Force Stations. Bharat-rakshak.com(2009-09-30).
- ↑ Himalayan Eagles land in Vadodara(1 September 2011). Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ↑ Eye on India, China raises Tibet military command rank | Central Tibetan Administration. tibet.net. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
- ↑ Twisting India's Chicken's Neck. lowyinstitute.org. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 India plans AGL strips, Deccan Herald, 2014.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Parma valley ALG, cogitasia.com.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Eye on China, MoD to revive 2 airstrips in Ladakh, Arunachal, Banerjee, Ajay. The Tribune(2025-09-25). Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ↑ India's Growing Military Footprint in Eastern Ladakh: Facing China, Joshi, Prateek. cogitASIA Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Asia Policy Blog(26 July 2016). Retrieved 2021-12-23.
- ↑ The Strategic Postures of China and India: A Visual Guide. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs(March 2020). Retrieved 2021-12-23.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Himachal Pradesh: Demand for airstrip in Spiti area, Times of India, 17 July 2020.
- ↑ To counter China, Nyoma airfield in Ladakh to be full-fledged base in 2 years, The Tribune, 5 Jan 2023.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Eyeing national security, Uttarakhand, ITBP to improve border infrastructure, Hindustan Times, 18 July 2020.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 IAF to have 7 operational Advanced Landing Grounds in Arunachal Pradesh in a month. The Economic Times(2018-07-13). Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Upgraded Advanced Landing Grounds at Ziro and Along Inaugurated. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
- ↑ Walong landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh ready for operations.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 UDAN reaches Arunachal Pradesh; first commercial flight flagged off | Business Standard News. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Commercial flight: Arunachal Pradesh finally gets connected with Guwahati by a commercial flight - the Economic Times. Retrieved 19 November 2018.