reveals that in that last 10 years, 798 Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have resigned and 289 of these pilots were given No-objection Certificates (NOC) to fly private airlines.
New Delhi has been upgrading the military equipment and even purchasing modern combat aircraft to strengthen the IAF. The newly acquired Rafale jets are ready to be inducted in a high profile ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French defense minister Florence Parly at the air force station in Ambala where the first five aircraft have been stationed.
However, in 2016 and 2017, IAF saw the worst years when 100 and 114 pilots respectively quit the IAF. In 2015, only 37 pilots had quit before superannuation. With an average of 80 pilots quitting the IAF every year, it could be facing an acute shortage of pilots.On February 1, 2018, the government informed the Rajya Sabha that the IAF had 3,855 pilots against a sanctioned strength of 4,231. There was a shortage of 376 pilots which reflects poorly on the preparedness of the IAF.
Of the pilots that quit, more than one-third of them received the NOC to fly private airlines. As per reports, a middle rung pilot earns up to Rs 2 lakh ($2700) in salary per month and can get four times the amount flying with a private airline.Most pilots quit after 20 years of service which makes them eligible for a pension.
“The IAF way of life is very good and apart from the salary, there are several intangible benefits. But my workload is far less as a private airlines pilot and there’s nothing to complain about the remuneration. As captain, I am responsible for everything after the aircraft door closes and once it opens, my job is over,” said an IAF officer who recently quit service and took up a job in a private airline and didn’t wish to be named.
HT reported in February this year, that IAF is working on measures to prevent its pilots from leaving the service and joining private airlines that offer better salaries and perquisites. Even though the report didn’t mention any specific measure, it said that they will be made shortly, and could involve cooling-off periods and changes in pension plans.
The RTI also asked about if such changes are being introduced. “Has the Indian Air Force evolved or is working on any policy to stop their pilots from quitting and joining private airlines. If yes, what is that?” In response to the query in the RTI, IAF said that there exists no such plans or policies.
Experts have said that it is important for the IAF to retain its pilots. “A pilot gets into operational flying after training for almost 250 to 300 hours in different aircraft. That costs a lot of money. You cannot afford to let trained people go. Other global air forces are also struggling with the same issues,” said Air Marshal KK Nohwar (retd), director-general, Centre for Air Power Studies.
Trump fires 3 national security official…
03-04-2025
President Trump dismissed several senior NSC officials after a meeting with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who claimed they were disloyal. The firings are part of an ongoing purge in Trump's...
Read moreCanada slaps 25% retaliatory auto tariff…
03-04-2025
Canada imposed a 25% tariff on non-CUSMA-compliant US vehicles in response to US auto tariffs. Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that this move aims to protect the Canadian auto industry...
Read moreTrump trolls 'tariff terrorism' talk as …
03-04-2025
US stock indices plummeted following President Trump's new tariffs, causing significant economic concern. Despite the market turmoil and criticism from various quarters, including former allies and economic experts, Trump and...
Read moreWhite House ousts NSC staffers after Tru…
03-04-2025
The White House has fired three National Security Council staffers following a meeting between President Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer. Loomer questioned the loyalty of NSC members, prompting the...
Read more'Elon Musk will continue to be...': JD V…
03-04-2025
Vice President JD Vance, in a way, confirmed that Elon Musk would be exiting his government role but he asserted that the Politico report that said Donald Trump told his...
Read more'If, God forbid, we had to go to war…
03-04-2025
Vice President JD Vance who was present at the Rose Garden when Donald Trump unveiled his tariff that shook up the global order called it an example of nationalism. In...
Read moreCanada Election 2025: Conservative candi…
03-04-2025
While the Conservative Party acted swiftly to drop Patel, calling his engagement with the post “clearly unacceptable,” the incident taps into a far more complex and volatile political reality —...
Read moreDairy of an Agro phile: How now, holy co…
03-04-2025
US President Donald Trump criticized India's agricultural and dairy import practices in a recent report, citing what he views as unnecessary barriers. The report also noted India's high tariffs on...
Read moreNew York Mayor Eric Adams drops out of D…
03-04-2025
“More than 25,000 New Yorkers signed my Democratic primary petition, but the dismissal of the bogus case against me dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary...
Read more'Largest peacetime tax hike': Mike Pence…
03-04-2025
Mike Pence criticized Trump's new tariffs, calling them a massive peacetime tax hike and claiming they could cost American families over $3,500 annually. He argued that these tariffs are the...
Read more