New Delhi: The crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam, which claimed the lives of five personnel, has once again brought the spotlight on the safety record of the four-decade-old fleet that continues to serve as a vital component of India's military airlift capability.
The Soviet-origin twin-engine turboprop aircraft met with the accident during a routine sortie while attempting to land at the Rowriah airbase on June 13. The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. Initial reports indicated that the aircraft caught fire after impact. A co-pilot survived the accident and is undergoing treatment.
The latest accident has renewed concerns about the operational safety of the AN-32 fleet, which has been in IAF service since 1984. India acquired 125 aircraft between 1984 and 1991, and despite the induction of newer transport platforms such as the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III, the AN-32 remains indispensable for tactical transport operations. Its ability to operate from short, semi-prepared runways and high-altitude airfields has made it the backbone of logistics support in remote areas, particularly in the Himalayan region.
According to media reports, the aircraft can carry up to 6.7 tonnes of cargo or around 50 troops and has played a crucial role in supplying forward military positions, especially following the military build-up along the Line of Actual Control after the 2020 eastern Ladakh standoff with China.
However, the aircraft's long service life has been accompanied by a series of accidents. The Jorhat tragedy is the third major AN-32 crash involving fatalities in the last decade. In July 2016, an AN-32 carrying 29 personnel disappeared over the Bay of Bengal while flying from Chennai to Port Blair. The wreckage was discovered years later during an underwater search operation. In June 2019, another AN-32 crashed in Arunachal Pradesh while on a flight from Jorhat to Mechuka, killing all 13 personnel on board.
Historical records cited by various reports show that the IAF's AN-32 fleet has been involved in multiple accidents since its induction, resulting in significant loss of life. While the exact causes have varied — ranging from adverse weather and technical failures to operational factors — each accident has fuelled debate over the future of the ageing fleet and the pace of fleet modernisation.
Defence experts note that although many of the AN-32 aircraft underwent upgrades to extend their operational life, the fleet's advancing age presents increasing maintenance and sustainability challenges. At the same time, they caution that the aircraft's unique operational capabilities cannot be readily replaced.
The Jorhat accident is therefore likely to trigger renewed discussions within defence circles regarding the balance between maintaining critical operational capabilities and accelerating the induction of newer transport aircraft.
As investigators begin the process of determining what caused the latest crash, the tragedy serves as a reminder of both the AN-32's enduring importance to the Indian Air Force and the pressing need to address long-term fleet replacement plans.
14/06/2026
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