The Indian Air Force is acquiring nine decommissioned Jaguar strike aircraft from the United Kingdom, which will be dismantled for spare parts to sustain its ageing fleet of Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguars. India plans to use these airframes to source spares and sub-assemblies including Adour engines, avionics, landing gear and hydraulics for its six operational Jaguar squadrons, with the aim of keeping the existing fleet airborne for more than a decade.
The full details of the deal have not been made public, but several media outlets, including the Indian Defence Research Wing, reported earlier this week that nine decommissioned RAF Jaguars, along with 150 different types of spare parts, had been spotted covered in white protective layers at an unnamed base. In 2024, India’s Ministry of Defence had formally requested this Jaguar package to address attrition and cannibalisation concerns. The UK, France and other former Jaguar operators have all retired their fleets, meaning the original factory production lines for these components have shut down entirely. The Jaguar’s rugged design, long range, weapons payload capacity and proven performance in contested environments continue to make it a valuable asset for India’s deep-penetration strike requirements.
IAF’s Shrinking Squadron Strength
As of June 2026, the Indian Air Force operates 29 squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42. Six of these are Jaguar squadrons, which have been in service with the IAF since 1980. India remains the sole operator of the SEPECAT Jaguar, a Cold War-era Anglo-French design inducted in 1979. Each squadron still possesses 16 to 20 aircraft.
The fleet has undergone extensive modernisation under the Darin III programme, led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, extending its sustainability for another decade. Acquiring retired airframes will help India keep the fleet mission-ready until indigenous platforms such as the Tejas Mk-2 and AMCA are fully operational.
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India has pursued a similar “buy second-hand for sustainability” strategy across its other legacy fighter fleets, most notably through a major initiative with Qatar in 2025. Earlier efforts include France supplying 31 retired Jaguar airframes, Oman supplying eight Rolls-Royce Adour Mk 811 engines along with around 3,500 lines of spares, and the UK selling two twin-seat Jaguar airframes and 619 lines of rotables for $400,000. The licence to assemble the Jaguar has rested with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited since the early 1980s, with funding from India’s Ministry of Defence.
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