The

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct ...

currently operates seven Air Commands. Each command is headed by an

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

of the rank of Air Marshal. The Air Force currently has over 60 air stations all over

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. These are grouped into seven commands: Western Air Command at

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...

, Eastern Air Command at

Shillong Shillong () is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a state in northeastern India, which means "The Abode of Clouds". It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with a ...

, Central Air Command at

Prayagraj Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the admini ...

, Southern Air Command at

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

(Trivandrum), South Western Air Command at

Gandhinagar Gandhinagar (, ) is the capital of the state of Gujarat in India. Gandhinagar is located approximately 23 km north of Ahmedabad, on the west central point of the Industrial corridor between Delhi, the political capital of India, and Mum ...

, Training Command at

Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

and Maintenance Command at

Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nagpur is projected to ...

. The largest airbase is in Hindon,

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 195 ...

. There are a number of newer air stations being built as well, in line with India's strategic doctrine. The

Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...

has some separate air stations for its aviation wing. Western Air Command is the largest Air Command. It operates sixteen air stations from Jammu & Kashmir,

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several pea ...

and a couple of Air stations in

. Eastern Air Command operates fifteen air stations in eastern and north-eastern India. Central Air Command operates two air stations in

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the second ...

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 South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

and two in the

Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India consisting of 572 islands, of which 37 are inhabited, at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The territory is about north of Aceh in Indonesia and separated f ...

. South Western Air Command is the front line of defence against Pakistan. This important command operates twelve air stations in

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

and

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern ...

List of air stations

Note: Station and unit details are from Scramble.nl (2009) and outdated. Article needs to be revised/updated. 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

Chinese Military has an integrated

Western Theater Command The Western Theater Command ()is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army, founded on 1 February 2016. Its jurisdiction includes Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing. Guizhou ...

across the whole LAC with India. Indian Military has divided the LAC into 3 sectors - the ''western sector'' across

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu a ...

and the Chinese-held Aksai Chin, the ''central sector'' across

and

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

states, and the ''eastern sector'' across

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Sil ...

and Arunachal Pradesh states. Similarly,

Indian Airforce The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial wa ...

has

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

-based Western Air Command,

-based

Central Air Command ''Nigrahya Rasava shastrava'' , colors = , colors_label = , battles = 1962 Sino-Indian War, East Pakistan Operations 1971, Operation Meghdoot, Orissa Super-Cyclone Relief, 1999 , anniversaries = , commander1 = Air Marshal Amar Preet Sin ...

, and

-based Eastern Air Command to cover the LAC. *

** Daulat Beg Oldi ALG serves

Trans-Karakoram Tract The Trans-Karakoram Tract (), also known as the Shaksgam Tract ( ur, , translit=Shaksgām), is an area of approximately north of the Karakoram watershed, including the Shaksgam valley. The tract is administered by China as part of its Taxkorga ...

(Shaksgam),

Aksai Chin Aksai Chin is a region administered by China as part of Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang and Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet. It is claimed by India to be a part of its Leh District, Ladakh Union Territory. It is a part of t ...

and Siachen Glacier. **

Fukche Fukche Advanced Landing Ground is an airfield in the Demchok sector of the union territory of Ladakh, India. It was built shortly before the 1962 Sino-Indian War and was revived in 2008. It is located adjacent to Koyul, 34 km northwest of De ...

ALG serves the Demchok sector. ** Nyoma ALG serves two separate noncontiguous but closely located disputed areas of Chumar North and Chumar South. ** Padum ALGIndia plans AGL strips
Deccan Herald, 2014. Serves Ladakh LAC and Kargil LOC as a second line of defence airport. **

Thoise Thoise or Thoise Airbase is a military airfield and small village in Nubra region of Ladakh, India, occupying the only large piece of flat land in the area. The airstrip is a critical facility enabling a quick inflow of men and material from the ...

ALGParma valley ALG
cogitasia.com. **

Parma Valley Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second m ...

ALG near Chushul (''proposed'') *

shares 250 km border with Tibet (China).Himachal Pradesh: Demand for airstrip in Spiti area
Times of India, 17 July 2020. **

Shimla Airport Shimla Airport is a regional airport located in Jubbarhatti, from Shimla, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Kingfisher Airlines used to operate the sole daily flight from Delhi, but could not carry more than 28 passengers on its ...

, civil airport available for military use. Serves Kaurik, Tashigang- Shipki La and

Nelang Nelang or Nilang is a river valley of the Himalayas, containing a small eponymous village, in the Uttarkashi District of the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is close to the disputed Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control (LAC), and hence is also ...

Pulam Sumda Pulam Sumda is a small hilly village which lies in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India. Pulam Sumda is a part of Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India, and claimed by Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, China.http://www.indiand ...

disputed area. ** Kullu-Manali Airport, civil airport available for military use. Serves Kaurik, Tashigang-Shipki La, and Nelang-Pulam Sumda disputed area. ** Kibber- Rangrik, surveyed but as of July 2020 no progress has been made. Will be closest ALG to Chumar, Kaurik, and Tashigang-Shipki La disputed area. *

has 350 km border with Tibet. **

Chinyalisaur Airport Chinyalisaur Airport, also known as Maa Ganga Airport and Dharasu Airport or Bharkot Airport, is located in Chinyalisaur of Uttarkashi district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The airport is situated 35 kilometres away from Uttarkashi and 8 ...

ALG serves disputed Barahoti and

sector. ITBP has 42 BoPs (border outposts) in Barahoti sector and Mana Pass area (Nelang-Pulam Sumda sector).Eyeing national security, Uttarakhand, ITBP to improve border infrastructure
Hindustan Times, 18 July 2020. ** Pithoragarh Airport ALG serves disputed

Kalapani territory The Kalapani territory is an area under Indian administration as part of Pithoragarh district in the Kumaon Division of the Uttarakhand state, K. C. SharadKalapani's new ‘line of control’ Nepali Times, 10 September 2004, p. 6 but it i ...

. *

** Pakyong Airport AGL serves

Doklam Doklam (), called Donglang () by China, is an area in Bhutan with a high plateau and a valley, lying between China's Chumbi Valley to the north, Bhutan's Ha District to the east and India's Sikkim state to the west. It has been depicted as p ...

disputed area. *

Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh (, ) is a state in Northeastern India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares ...

** Aalo ALG, formerly Along,IAF to have seven AGL in Arunachal Pradesh
Economic Times, 2018. ** Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground ALG **

Pasighat Pasighat is the headquarters of East Siang district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Situated at the eastern foothills of the Himalayas at above mean sea level, Pasighat is Arunachal's oldest town. The Government of India included Pa ...

ALG ** Tawang Air Force Station ** Tuting ALG ** Vijoynagar ALG **

Walong Advanced Landing Ground Walong Advanced Landing Ground is an Indian Air Force airstrip located at Walong on the banks of Lohit River in Anjaw District of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is nearly 50 km north of district headquarter at Hawai, nearly 30 km south of Indi ...

(Walong ALG) ** Ziro ALG ** Daporijo ALG,

** Alinye (ALG),

Dibang Valley District Dibang Valley (Pron:/dɪˈbæŋ/) is a district of Arunachal Pradesh named after the Dibang River or the Talon as the Mishmis call it. It is the least populated district in India and has an area of . History In June 1980, Dibang Valley distr ...

Along Pakistan border

ALG

Highway landing grounds

** Bangarmau Airstrip, on

Agra Lucknow Expressway Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...

References

External links

List of Indian Air Force stations at GlobalSecurity.org
{{Indian Air Force * *