The Indian Air Force (IAF) appears increasingly unlikely to pursue the Russian Il‑76MD‑90A to replace its existing fleet of heavy-lift Il‑76 transport aircraft, citing serious concerns regarding long-term availability of spares, high maintenance demand, and escalating through-life cost exposures, reported Zee Hindi news.

Despite the aircraft being the designated successor within Russia, its production pace, sustainment challenges, and geopolitical complications make it a risky acquisition choice for India, especially given the IAF’s operational dependence on high serviceability levels for strategic airlift roles.

Instead, the IAF is shifting focus toward alternative platforms, initiating a structured evaluation of possible contenders to meet its medium-to-heavy transport aircraft requirements. These likely include Western-origin designs, which promise stronger supply assurance, better technology integration, and a smoother lifecycle support framework under Indian operational and industrial conditions.

Airbus’s A400M Atlas, Boeing’s C‑17 successor initiatives, or new-build developments in the U.S. and Europe form part of the broader spectrum that could be examined in detail.

The induction target is around 2035, aligning with the IAF’s long-term fleet recapitalisation roadmap. This provides sufficient lead time for Indian planners to analyse industrial participation models, interoperability with allied forces, and lifecycle cost benefits.

At the same time, the IAF is seeking to extend the operational life of its current Il‑76 fleet, assessing structural strengthening options, avionics upgrades, and engine refurbishment measures to ensure sustained availability of these airframes for another decade or more until their replacements mature.

This parallel-track approach reflects both immediate operational necessity and careful risk mitigation, ensuring that India’s strategic mobility capability does not suffer disruptions while a suitable replacement is secured.

The evaluations are expected to be comprehensive, considering not just off-the-shelf procurements but also opportunities for industrial collaboration, potential joint production, and alignment with India’s defence manufacturing drive.

The eventual platform selection is therefore likely to be influenced as much by operational fit as by India’s long-term industrial–strategic calculus.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)