United Kingdom’s Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal (Sir) Harv Smyth on Monday (March 23, 2026) began a three-day visit to India, during which he discussed global security threats and means to deepen ties with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
During his bilateral talks with the Indian Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, in New Delhi, ACM Smyth focused on evolving security threats and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two air forces further.
A British High Commission in India statement said the visit highlighted the deepening defence cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the air domain, through expanded training, operational exchanges, and strategic engagement.
The UK air chief’s visit to India and his discussions with his Indian counterpart came as the two nations expanded their military cooperation through joint training programmes and educational exchanges.
In February 2026, the two nations signed an agreement to deploy IAF’s three Qualified Flying Instructors at the Royal Air Force Valley, a key training base for British air force pilots.
An Indian instructor is already deployed at the RAF College at Cranwell, as part of a previous arrangement for educational exchanges among the two air forces.
The two air force chiefs also visited the IAF’s Gwalior Air Force Station (AFS) to gain insight into the Indian air warfare operational procedures and best practices to counter aerial threats.
Gwalior AFS houses the IAF’s air warfare tactics school, TACDE, which develops operational procedures and best practices in aerial combat.
“It is a privilege to visit India and further strengthen our defence partnership, hosted by my esteemed colleague and good friend, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh,” ACM Smyth said, commenting on his visit to India.
“The planned arrival this September of the Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors at RAF Valley, joining an IAF instructor already contributing at RAF College Cranwell, illustrates the depth of trust, shared professionalism, and mutual commitment that underpin our relationship,” ACM Smyth said.
“I look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to deepen this cooperation between our air forces in the years ahead,” he added.
British High Commission in India Defence Adviser Commodore Chris Saunders noted that the visit underscored the strategic importance both nations attach to strengthening defence ties.
He said that embedding IAF instructors within UK training establishments and increasing multi-domain cooperation represent a substantive enhancement of bilateral engagement.
Commodore Saunders said this visit marked the fourth and most senior flag-rank visit from the UK to India in 2026, signalling continued momentum in the defence cooperation between the two nations.