In October 2025, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), an authoritative online resource that annually ranks global air forces, released its latest ‘WDMMA Rankings for 2025’. As per the rankings, the Indian Air Force (IAF) surpassed China to become the world’s 3rd most powerful air force in terms of overall effectiveness and capability, with the United States of America(USA) and Russia holding the top two spots.
- However, IAF ranked at 6th position globally with overall TruVal Rating (TVR) of 69.4, while China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) with TVR of 58.1, ranked at 7th position.
- In 2025 WDMMA Rankings, the United States(US) Air Force tops with a TVR of 242.9 (5,004 aircraft), followed by the US Navy (TVR 142.4, 2,504 units) and the Russian Air Force(TVR 114.2, 3,677 aircraft).
Exam Hints:
- What? Release of WDMMA Rankings for 2025
- Released by: WDMMA
- Total Aircraft Covered: 48,082 of 129 air services of 103 countries
- Top Air Forces: USAF (TVR 242.9, 5,004 aircraft); US Navy (TVR 142.4, 2,504); Russian Air Force (TVR 114.2, 3,677)
- Lowest Ranked Air Forces: Afghanistan (107th, TVR 0.3), Syria (106th, 3.6), Albania (105th, 3.9)
- India’s IAF : 6th ( TVR 69.4).
- Active Aircraft in IAF: 1,716
- IAF Aircraft Composition: Fighters 31.6%, Helicopters 29%, Trainers 21.8%.
About WDMMA 2025 Rankings:
Overview: The report provides a comprehensive overview of the current strengths (and inherent weaknesses) of modern military air services across the world.
Coverage: The report covers data from 103 countries and 129 air services, including air forces operated by armies, navies, and marine branches, tracking a total of 48,082 aircraft globally.
Methodology: The rankings are calculated using TVR which considers various factors such as: number of aircraft in the fleet, operational readiness, modernization, logistics and training.
World’s Top 5 Most Powerful Forces: WDMMA 2025
| Rank | Name of the Force | Name of the Country | Total Units (in Active Aircraft Inventory) | TruVal Rating(TVR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Air Force (USAF) | The United States of America (USA) | 5,004 | 242.9 |
| 2 | United States Navy (USN) | The USA | 2,504 | 142.4 |
| 3 | Russian Air Force (RAF) | Russia | 3,677 | 114.2 |
| 4 | United States Army | The USA | 4,333 | 112.6 |
| 5 | United States Marine Corps (USMC) | The USA | 1,211 | 85.3 |
| 6 | Indian Air Force (IAF) | India | 1,716 | 69.4 |
Lowest Ranked Air Forces in WDMMA 2025
| Rank | Name of the Force | Name of the Country | TruVal Rating (TVR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | Afghan Air Force | Afghanistan | 0.3 |
| 106 | Syrian Air Force | Syria | 3.6 |
| 105 | Albanian Air Force | Albania | 3.9 |
| 104 | Yemen Air Force | Yemen | 5.2 |
| 103 | Air Force of Bosnia & Herzegovina | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 5.8 |
Key Highlights:
Other Most Powerful Air Forces: Japan Air Self-Defence Force(JASDF) ranked at 8th position globally, with overall TVR score of 58.1, followed by Israeli Air Force (ranked at 9th spot with TVR score of 56.3); French Air Force (ranked at 10th spot with TVR score of 55.3); and the United Kingdom (UK)’s Royal Air Force (RAF) (ranked at 11th position with TVR score of 55.3).
Bottom 5 Countries: The Air Forces of countries who were ranked lowest on the list: Afghanistan (107th, TVR of 0.3), Syria (106th, TVR of 3.6), Albania (105th, TVR of 3.9), Yemen (104th, TVR of 5.2), and Bosnia & Herzegovina (103rd, TVR of 5.8).
Neighbouring Countries of India: While, the Air Forces of Pakistan (TVR score of 46.3 ) and Bangladesh (14.1) ranked at 18th and 83rd position, respectively.
India-Specific:
Total Aircraft: India has a total of 2,488 units in its aircraft inventory, of which 1,716 are in IAF; 540 in India Army (IA) Aviation; and 232 in Indian Navy (IN) Aviation.
Distribution of Aircraft in IAF: Out of total aircraft in IAF, 31.6% are dedicated fighters; followed by helicopter (29%) and trainers (21.8%).
Other Branches of Indian Forces: Apart from IAF, IN Aviation was ranked at 27th position with TVR of 41.2; followed by IA Aviation ranked at 36th spot with overall TVR of 30.
Aircraft Operational in IAF: Currently, IAF operates 4.5 generation aircraft such as: Dassault Rafaels, Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
- 4th Generation Aircraft comprises of MiG-29 and Dassault Mirage 2000.
Future Target: The Government of India(GoI) has set the target to induct over 600 jets over the next 20 years, a large number of them being LCA variants including, 180 LCA-Mk 1A, more than 120 LCA-Mk2, 114 Medium Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) and at least 120 Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
About Indian Air Force(IAF):
Chief of Air Staff (CoAS)- Amar Preet Singh
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Established- 1932
