India’s Ministry of Defence has cleared the acquisition of six multirole aerial refuelling aircraft based on the Boeing 767 platform, a move aimed at significantly extending the operational reach of the Indian Air Force.
The program, valued at approximately ₹90 billion ($1.1 billion), will involve Israel Aerospace Industries, in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, converting six pre-owned Boeing 767 commercial aircraft into aerial refuelling tankers.
IAI emerged as the only qualified bidder after European and Russian competitors reportedly failed to satisfy India’s technical specifications and domestic industrial participation requirements. The final contract is expected to be signed by March.
The new tankers are intended to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of six Ilyushin Il-78MKI aircraft, which have faced chronic availability and maintenance issues. Estimates indicate that fleet serviceability fell below 50 percent between 2010 and 2016, well short of the 70 percent benchmark.
Inducted in 2003, the Russian-origin Il-78MKIs are nearing the end of their operational lifespan and are increasingly unable to support the extended-range missions of aircraft such as the Rafale, Su-30MKI, and indigenous Tejas variants, according to GlobalData.
India’s Comptroller and Auditor General has previously flagged several deficiencies in the Il-78 program, including malfunctioning refuelling pods, insufficient repair infrastructure, and inadequate manufacturer support.
The procurement aligns with India’s broader effort to expand and modernize its combat aircraft fleet through a combination of domestic and foreign platforms. GlobalData projects that India will invest around $82.6 billion in fixed-wing aircraft over the next decade.
Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of 114 multirole fighter aircraft at an estimated cost of ₹3.25 trillion ($36 billion). Separately, the MoD has contracted HAL to deliver 97 additional Tejas Mk-1A fighters under a deal valued at roughly $7 billion.
