By Admin 
Leaving China behind, the Indian Air Force has been ranked as the third most powerful air force in the world, which is being discussed a lot not only in India but also in China. An expert there expressed disappointment over the lagging behind of the Chinese Air Force and expressed his irritation over India’s achievements. He has said that the real ranking of armies happens on the battlefield, not on papers. He said that no one will benefit from exaggerated and inaccurate assessments.
According to Newsweek report, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) has ranked 103 countries and 129 air services, army, navy and marine aviation branches. In the list, India has achieved the title of the third most powerful Air Force in the world, leaving behind China. America is at number one and Russia is at second.
WDMMA has given this ranking on the basis of TruVal Rating (TVR), which depends on the number of aircraft a country has, technology, operational readiness, attack capability, pilot training, combat aircraft, trainers, attack helicopters, tankers, transporters, fighter bombers and aircraft kept for special purposes.
According to the Global Times report, on Monday (October 20, 2025), China’s military affairs expert Zhang Junshe said that there is no need to take this ranking seriously. The combat capabilities of the armies become the basis for correct comparison, not the information written on papers.
He said that some American and Indian media organizations are talking very highly about this ranking of India, but its purpose is to increase competition between India and China. He warned that such a risky move could lead to a dangerous cycle of miscalculations. According to the list of WDMMA, US Air Force is at first place with 242.9 TVR, Russia is at second place with 114.2 TVR and India is at third place with 69.4 TVR. China’s TVR is 63.8.
There is good coordination between the three armies of India. A glimpse of India’s strength was also seen in Operation Sindoor, when the Indian Air Force destroyed the terrorist camps present in Pakistan. After this action, Pakistani Air Force tried to attack many military bases of India. In this clash, the Indian Air Force had caused huge damage to the Pakistan Air Force. Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai had said that in Operation Sindoor, more than 100 Pakistani soldiers were killed on the LoC and at least 12 aircraft were destroyed.