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Tuesday, February 3, 2026
TopicIndian Air Force

Topic: Indian Air Force

1st Indian on ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla awarded Ashok Chakra; Kirti Chakra for colleague Prasanth Nair

Shukla is the youngest of 4 astronaut-designates training for Gaganyaan. Shukla and Nair trained at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre and Bengaluru’s Astronaut Training Centre.

Airbus & Embraer in the mix, IAF plans revamp of military transport fleet with MTA as new workhorse

Once acquired by IAF, the medium transport aircraft (MTA) will replace both AN-32s and IL-76s, it is learnt. The idea behind the revamp is to meet modern operational needs.

A tribute to Tejas. India’s delay culture is the real enemy in the skies

It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.

IAF’s leased KC-135 lands in Agra, American firm’s pilots to man mid-air refueller

India’s refueller fleet comprises six Russian Ilushin-78 tankers, first inducted in 2003, which are facing huge maintenance and serviceability issues.

Turkey blocks transport of Apache choppers to India through its airspace, new route being worked out

Indian govt officials last month skipped Turkish National Day celebrations in Delhi, in a message to Ankara following its support for Islamabad, particularly during Operation Sindoor.

Sold for $5,000, nails pulled out—Indians’ accounts of being trapped in Myanmar’s cyber scam hubs

Between January 2022 and May 2024, at least 29,466 Indians travelled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar & Vietnam on tourist visas & didn’t return, ThePrint has learnt. 

What the MiG-21 taught me

Unlike modern aircraft with their sophisticated systems and computer-mediated controls, the MiG-21 was pure aviation. The connection between the pilot and the machine was magical.

Rawalpindi chicken tikka to Muridke meetha pan, IAF unit’s Op Sindoor-themed menu sparks frenzy

The menu, it is learnt, is from an IAF station that saw intense action during Op Sindoor and was curated as part of a dinner to mark Air Force Day (8 October).

India looks to procure more S-400/S-500 air defence systems from Russia

The 2018 contract with Russia for 5 S-400 systems had a follow-on clause for 5 more. S-400 was described as a 'game-changer' for shooting down 5 Pakistan fighter jets during Op Sindoor.

Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is unwise. Ladakh has always shown unflinching patriotism

ThePrint view on the most important issues.

On Camera

How neo-casteists set up a symphony orchestra to make UGC equity guidelines fail

In the Indian education system, neo-casteism encompasses many forms of caste-based profiling, manipulation of nomenclature, political rigmaroles, and fearmongering.

Floundering PM Internship Scheme has seen 44% drop out since 2024 launch. Budget deals drastic blow

Only 21 percent of interns complete programme as Centre slashes budget by over 50% after poor joining and high attrition.

Adani Defence teams up with Italy’s Leonardo to tap India’s mega helicopter market

The partnership will focus on targeting the Indian Armed Forces' requirements, particularly for Leonardo's AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters.

Swiss report should now close Op Sindoor debate. Knowing when to stop the fight is key too

The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.