IAF to train British fighter pilots for first time under new pact

IAF to train British fast jet pilots for the first time under new defence pact

India and the United Kingdom have agreed to enhance their military training cooperation following the 19th UK-India Air Staff Talks in New Delhi. Under the new arrangement, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will send three qualified flight instructors (QFIs) to Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in the UK to train British fast-jet pilots, marking the first time Indian instructors will provide fighter jet training at the facility. The deployment will initially last for two years.

The instructors will train RAF pilots on BAE Hawk T2 or Texan T1 aircraft, with the IAF trainers remaining under Indian command while performing instructional duties for RAF commanders.

Vice Marshal Ian Townsend, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, said, “The signing of this Letter of Agreement is a significant step in strengthening the longstanding relationship between the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force. Bringing Indian QFIs into UK Military Flying Training Systems deepens our cooperation, enhances interoperability and reinforces our shared commitment to excellence in aircrew training.”

This follows the first-ever deployment of an IAF officer as an instructor at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in January 2026. With this new agreement, all three British military academies now host Indian officers as instructors from their respective services.

The Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth has had an Indian Navy officer since May 2024, while the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst welcomed an Indian Army officer in May 2025.

The deployment reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen defence cooperation between India and the UK. The two countries have conducted joint exercises, including the largest-ever maritime exercise in 2025 involving the Carrier Strike Groups of both navies, the Ajeya Warrior army exercise in Rajasthan, and the multi-lateral air exercises Cobra Warrior (2023) and Tarang Shakti (2024).

RAF Valley, located on Anglesey, serves as the training base for the UK’s fast-jet pilots and is home to No. 4 Flying Training School. The facility also trains aircrew for mountain and maritime operations worldwide. The IAF operates the Hawk as its main advanced jet trainer, manufactured under licence from BAE Systems by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

The Air Staff Talks are an annual engagement, typically involving two-star officers or higher, and focus on areas of defence collaboration and military training between India and the UK.