NORTH WALES, UK, September 12 (ANI) — Three Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) have joined Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in Wales, UK, to train British fast-jet pilots in a historic bilateral defense milestone.
Announcing the achievement in a post on X, the Indian Air Force’s media coordination center wrote, “A historic first in India-UK defense cooperation. Three Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) have joined RAF Valley, Wales, to instruct Royal Air Force pilots — marking the first deployment of Indian QFIs to the UK.”
The IAF hailed the QFIs’ deployment as a “landmark step in strengthening our shared commitment to professional excellence, interoperability and enduring India-UK ties.”
Earlier in April, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held talks with Jonathan Nicholas Powell, National Security Adviser of the UK, on regional security developments.
Singh and Powell reviewed the progress of existing India-UK defense cooperation frameworks.
Additionally, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Powell on regional and global security issues, while discussions between Powell and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval focused on the annual India-UK Strategic Dialogue.
Last year, then-UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid an official visit to India in October at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the joint statement following their meeting, the leaders agreed to expand bilateral exchanges between the armed forces of India and the UK through joint exercises, training and capacity building.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the port call of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group and the Royal Navy’s KONKAN exercise with the Indian Navy. Both sides committed to robust maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific, including the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE) under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
In the context of cooperation on training, the two leaders welcomed progress on an arrangement that will see Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors integrated into UK Royal Air Force training, alongside an agreement that will facilitate “our strong training and education relationship.” (ANI)
About The Author
