The Indian Air Force will begin training Royal Air Force fast jet pilots at RAF Valley in Wales, marking a significant expansion of defence cooperation between the United Kingdom and India. The agreement, confirmed on February 12, 2026, follows the 19th UK-India Air Staff Talks held in New Delhi.
Under the terms of the agreement, three Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) from the Indian Air Force will deploy to RAF Valley for an initial two-year period. This represents the first time Indian instructors will directly contribute to fast jet pilot training for the Royal Air Force at the base, which utilizes aircraft including the Hawk T2 and Texan T1.
The move builds on a recent trend of increased instructor exchanges between the two air forces. In January 2026, an Indian Air Force officer was appointed as an instructor at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, the UK’s air academy responsible for training future RAF officers. This deployment brought the total number of British military academies hosting Indian instructors to three.
Air Vice Marshal Ian Townsend, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, described the agreement as “a significant step in strengthening the longstanding relationship between the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force.” He added that the deployment “deepens our cooperation, enhances interoperability and reinforces our shared commitment to excellence in aircrew training.”
The initiative also comes amid ongoing concerns regarding capacity within the UK’s military flying training pipeline. Defence analysts have noted potential for the Indian QFIs to alleviate pressure on existing resources, though officials have not directly addressed this issue. Commodore Chris Saunders MBE Royal Navy, Defence Adviser at the British High Commission in New Delhi, emphasized the broader strategic context, stating the deployment “represents another significant milestone in our expanding defence relationship, positively building on the mandate of UK-India Vision 2035.”
The agreement was reached following senior-level discussions during the UK-India Air Staff Talks, an annual forum for reviewing cooperation and planning future collaboration. A broader UK-India military training cooperation agreement was signed during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai in October 2025, further solidifying the deepening ties between the two nations’ armed forces.
The Indian instructors will operate under the command of the Indian Air Force while working within the UK’s military flying training system, under the oversight of the Royal Air Force. The Defence Attaché, Commodore Chris Saunders, highlighted the initiative as reinforcing “the mutual trust and shared experience that underpins our training cooperation.”
Further collaboration is scheduled, with the UK and India continuing to discuss potential expansions of their military training engagements. No specific details regarding future deployments or joint exercises have been publicly released.
