UK Air Chief Visits India to Boost Military Ties Amid Emerging Threats
New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, the UK’s Chief of the Air Staff, is on a three-day visit to India to strengthen defence cooperation between the two nations. He paid homage to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial and reviewed the Indian Air Force’s Guard of Honour.
Smyth met Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh to discuss evolving security threats and ways to enhance cooperation. The two air forces have been collaborating on training and educational exchanges, including the deployment of Indian instructors to UK’s RAF Valley and RAF College Cranwell. An Indian Navy officer is also instructing at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth since May 2024, and an Indian Army officer joined Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an instructor in May 2025.
This visit marks the fourth by a senior UK flag-rank officer to India in 2026, highlighting the growing partnership. Recent collaborations include the UK-India Carrier Strike Group exercise, the largest maritime drill between the two nations, and joint army exercise Ajeya Warrior in Rajasthan.
“The planned arrival of Indian Air Force instructors at RAF Valley illustrates the depth of trust and shared professionalism between our nations,” Smyth said. The visit aims to deepen defence ties, with discussions on countering new-age aerial threats and expanding training cooperation.
Commodore Chris Saunders, Defence Adviser at the British High Commission, emphasized the growing UK-India defence partnership. Smyth will also meet India’s civil and military leadership during his visit.
