New Delhi . A historical chapter is going to be added in the field of defense cooperation between India and Britain. The country which once laid the foundation of the ‘Royal Indian Air Force’ in India, will now train the fighter pilots of Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) by experienced trainers of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to reports, two top fighter pilot trainers of the Indian Air Force will soon be posted at Britain’s RAF Valley airbase, located on the island of Anglesey off the north-west coast of Wales. Here he will train British Air Force pilot cadets on BAE Hawk T Mk2 advanced jet trainer aircraft. This is the same aircraft on which Britain’s next generation fighter pilots prepare for frontline jets like the Typhoon and F-35.

Training tenure will last for three years

A senior Royal Air Force official said that this initiative is an important step towards strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries. He said, “The exact date of appointment of the Indian trainers has not been decided yet, but it will not be before October 2026. Their initial training and familiarization process in the UK will be completed in about a year or less.” The salaries of these two Indian trainers will be paid by the Government of India, while the UK Defense Ministry will make arrangements for their accommodation. These instructors can be posted at RAF Valley for a maximum of three years.

Agreement reached in Modi-Starmer meeting

The agreement took place during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent visit to Mumbai, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally announced it. During the same visit, a defense deal worth 350 million pounds (about ₹ 3,700 crore) was also signed between the two countries, under which Britain will provide light multirole missile systems to India.

New chapter in defense relations

According to RAF sources, the objective of this program is not only training cooperation but also to strengthen India-UK strategic and political relations. An RAF officer said, “The participation of Indian trainers will develop better interoperability between the air forces of the two countries, opening new avenues of trust and cooperation.”

India is the third most powerful air force in the world

According to the ranking of ‘World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA)’, the Indian Air Force is the third most powerful air force in the world after America and Russia. Britain is at eighth place in this list.

Strategic Advantage and Knowledge-Share

According to the RAF official, “The participation of Indian trainers will not only provide strategic advantage to the RAF, but will also increase exchange of technical and tactical knowledge between the two countries. The interaction between international trainers and cadets will develop shared experience of flying techniques and procedures, which will prove helpful in future joint operations.”

This historic collaboration has not only been appreciated by defense experts, but is also being seen as a symbol of India’s growing global military influence – with Indian pilots now giving flying lessons to fighter pilots from Britain, a former colonial power.