THE death of five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel in an AN-32 crash in Assam has laid bare the risks involved in operating an ageing military fleet under demanding conditions. Factors such as delayed modernisation and institutional inertia are difficult to ignore. The AN-32, a Soviet-origin twin-engine transport aircraft, has served as a dependable workhorse for the IAF for decades, especially in remote and high-altitude areas. Yet its very age is now its most pressing liability. Crashes over the years, including fatal incidents in 2009, 2016 and 2019, reflect an unmistakable pattern.
The circumstances of the latest accident — loss of control during landing and subsequent fire — will be examined by a court of inquiry. However, a technical investigation alone will not address the larger concern: why a fleet inducted in the mid-1980s continues to perform critical operational roles four decades later. The long-promised Medium Transport Aircraft programme has moved slowly through shifting proposals, international partnerships and bureaucratic delays, leaving the IAF dependent on incremental upgrades rather than full replacement. It seems that no lesson has been learnt from the tragedies involving the MiG-21 fighter jet, which was finally phased out last year after six decades of service.
The gap between operational needs and procurement is stark. Transport aircraft are central to troop mobility, disaster response and frontline logistics. The IAF operates in some of the most challenging aviation environments in the world. Resilience in such conditions depends on modern, reliable platforms with a robust safety record. Each accident affects the readiness and morale of the air force. Urgency in decision-making is a prerequisite for modernisation. The AN-32 has served its purpose with distinction. The question now is how soon its successor will do the same more safely.
