Actually, more than IAF, it is the advisory panel that is at fault.
For decades, India's military has been increasing its recruitment for no reason; without understanding the importance of technology to replace manpower, most of India's fat pot-bellied bureaucrats have ensured that we keep a recruitment pattern similar to the Post WW2 era.
There have been changes but they really don't make a difference as we have a very 50s-style structure even today.
There are people recruited for even roles where 1 person can easily manage with proper IT and AI-related technology.
There is absolutely no focus of these lazy bureaucrats.
India's budget this year will expand to nearly $62 billion; but most of it goes into payments of salaries, perks, fancy non-combat infrastructure upkeep etc.
That is the problem.
There is currently a phase-wise force downsizing exercise being considered with the first phase removing 1.5 lakh troops - at least initially in the support roles:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...an-and-mean/story-GePcnuBveaGh6V8eqPY7KL.html
Within coming 15 years if implemented right, this almost amount to reducing nearly 3-4 lakh troops and replacing them with one-time costing technologies.
Reducing that many personnel would free up massive amounts of money for capital expenditures.
