India's Ailing An-32 Fleet: When Will the IAF Finally Say Goodbye?

The Indian Air Force's (IAF) An-32 fleet has been a liability for decades, with a string of tragic incidents raising serious concerns about its safety record. The recent crash of an An-32 transport aircraft at Jorhat airbase in Assam on June 13, 2026, has once again brought the issue to the forefront.

The An-32 is a twin-engine Soviet-era military transport aircraft that has been extensively used by the IAF for logistics, cargo transportation, and operational support across diverse terrains, including high-altitude and remote regions. Despite mid-life upgrades, its safety record has been a persistent concern, with the most notorious incident being the disappearance of an An-32 over the Bay of Bengal in July 2016, with 29 personnel on board.

The wreckage of the An-32 was eventually located at a depth of approximately 3,400 meters, highlighting the risks involved in operating such an aircraft. The Jorhat crash came just months after another IAF tragedy in Assam - a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crash in Karbi Anglong district on March 5, 2026, that killed both pilots.

The deaths of the two Agniveervayus in the An-32 crash have sparked outrage and concern, particularly in the context of the Agnipath scheme, which has been shrouded in controversy. The scheme, introduced in 2022, allows young individuals to join the armed forces for a period of four years, after which they are discharged.

However, the families of Agniveers who have been killed in action have been denied lifelong pension, health insurance, and welfare benefits, sparking a firestorm of criticism. The government's response has been blunt, with an affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court stating that Agniveers are 'not similarly situated' as regular soldiers and cannot claim pension parity.

The petition filed by the family of Agniveer Muralinaik, who was killed in cross-border shelling on May 9, 2025, during Operation Sindoor, has highlighted the inequality faced by Agniveers. The petition argues that soldiers fighting shoulder-to-shoulder cannot be treated differently in death, citing Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality.

Meanwhile, the Agniveer recruitment process has been marred by controversies, with a 20-year-old youth named Gokul collapsing and dying during an Agniveer recruitment endurance run at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in Puducherry on August 1, 2026.

The IAF's decision to continue flying the An-32 fleet has been questioned, with many arguing that it is time to ground the aircraft and focus on modernizing the fleet. The recent crash has once again highlighted the risks involved in operating such an aircraft, and it is imperative that the IAF takes immediate action to address the safety concerns.

The An-32 fleet has been in service for decades, and despite mid-life upgrades, its safety record remains a concern. The IAF must take a hard look at its fleet and decide whether it is worth continuing to operate an aircraft that has been a liability for so long.

The time to decide is now. The IAF must prioritize the safety of its personnel and passengers and take immediate action to address the safety concerns surrounding the An-32 fleet. The future of the IAF depends on it.

India's Ailing An-32 Fleet: A Liability for Decades

The An-32's Safety Record: A Persistent Concern

The Agnipath Scheme: A Firestorm of Criticism

The IAF's Decision: Ground the An-32 Fleet?

Key Takeaways:

• The An-32 fleet has been a liability for decades, with a string of tragic incidents raising serious concerns about its safety record.
• The IAF must take immediate action to address the safety concerns surrounding the An-32 fleet and prioritize the safety of its personnel and passengers.
• The Agnipath scheme has been shrouded in controversy, with the families of Agniveers who have been killed in action denied lifelong pension, health insurance, and welfare benefits.
• The IAF's decision to continue flying the An-32 fleet has been questioned, with many arguing that it is time to ground the aircraft and focus on modernizing the fleet.
• The future of the IAF depends on addressing the safety concerns surrounding the An-32 fleet and prioritizing the safety of its personnel and passengers.