Last Updated on April 22, 2026 by allieddispatch | Published: March 23, 2026
By Allied Dispatch UK
AIR POWER | International Relations
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, the UK’s Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), has arrived in India for a three-day visit aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two nations in response to emerging security challenges.
The visit began with the CAS paying homage to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial, followed by a review of the Guard of Honour by the Indian Air Force (IAF). A central focus of the trip is a meeting with India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh to discuss evolving threats and the deepening partnership between the two air forces.
Joint Training and Educational Exchanges
A significant milestone in this relationship was the signing of an agreement in February 2026. Under this pact, three Qualified Flying Instructors from the IAF will deploy this September to RAF Valley, the UK’s training base for fast jet pilots.
This follows existing cooperation where an IAF instructor is already contributing at RAF College Cranwell. The two air chiefs are also scheduled to travel to Air Force Station Gwalior to observe IAF operational procedures and best practices regarding new-age aerial threats.
Leadership Perspectives
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, Chief of the Air Staff, stated:
“The planned arrival this September of Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors at RAF Valley—joining the IAF instructor already contributing at RAF College Cranwell—illustrates the depth of trust, shared professionalism, and mutual commitment that underpin our relationship.”
Commodore Chris Saunders MBE Royal Navy, Defence Adviser at the British High Commission, added:
“Embedding IAF instructors within our instructor cadre at RAF Valley and RAF College Cranwell… alongside increasingly complex air exercising and multi-domain cooperation, represents a tangible and substantive strengthening of defence ties in all domains.”
A Year of Strategic Momentum
Sir Harv Smyth is the fourth senior UK flag-rank officer to visit India in 2026, signalling, the high priority placed on this defence partnership. Recent collaborative efforts include:
- Maritime & Air Defence: The 2025 engagement involving Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) from both navies, featuring air defence exercises with fast jets from the RN, IAF, and Indian Navy.
- Land Warfare: Exercise Ajeya Warrior in Rajasthan, involving the 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles and the 21 Sikh Regiment.
- Multilateral Exercises: IAF’s 2023 debut in the UK’s Exercise Cobra Warrior and the RAF’s participation in India’s first multilateral air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti, in 2024.
Beyond the RAF, cross-service instructor exchanges are also active at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Allied Dispatch UK Viewpoint
At Allied Dispatch UK, we view this visit as a clear reinforcement of the “Indo-Pacific Tilt” outlined in recent UK strategic reviews.
By sharing the “secrets” of fast-jet instruction, the UK and India are ensuring that the next generation of pilots, whether flying over the English Channel or the Indian Ocean, speak the same tactical language. This builds on a historical foundation that has evolved over many years.