Platform profile · India · Strategic and tactical heavy-lift transport aircraft · Indian Air Force
Two C-17s carried the IAF's Pitch Black 2026 contingent to Darwin in July 2026, continuing routine strategic-lift tasking.
On 2026-02-27, an 81 Squadron C-17 airlifted Botswana cheetahs from Gaborone to Gwalior for onward helicopter transfer to Kuno National Park. The Defence Acquisition Council had approved an Acceptance of Necessity for sustainment of the C-17 and C-130J fleets on 2025-08-05 within a broader Rs 67,000 crore package. Boeing says India operates 11 C-17s, with the eleventh delivered in August 2019. Recent missions have ranged from regional disaster relief to the long-range insertion of boats and MARCOS personnel for the 2024 MV Ruen anti-piracy operation. The fleet matters because it gives India inter-theatre lift, rapid humanitarian reach and the ability to deploy heavy forces without relying on chartered transport.
Updated 17 Jul 2026
Verified figures
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Indian fleet | 11 aircraft ↗ |
| Length | 53.0 m (174 ft) ↗ |
| Wingspan | 51.8 m (169.8 ft) ↗ |
| Height | 16.8 m (55.1 ft) ↗ |
| Engines | Four Pratt & Whitney PW2040/F117-PW-100 turbofans, 40,440 lbf each ↗ |
| Maximum payload | 74,797 kg (164,900 lb) ↗ |
| No-payload range | More than 6,200 nmi ↗ |
| Troop seating | 102 seats: 54 sidewall and 48 centreline ↗ |
| Sequential airdrop load | Up to 49,895 kg (110,000 lb) ↗ |
| Flight deck | Two pilots plus two observer positions ↗ |
| Fuselage diameter | 6.9 m (22.5 ft) ↗ |
| Wing area | 353 sq m (3,800 sq ft) ↗ |
Spec sources: boeing.co.in ↗ · boeing.com ↗
Changelog
Two C-17s airlifted the IAF's Pitch Black 2026 contingent — more than 120 air warriors supporting four Rafales — to Darwin, Australia.
An 81 Squadron C-17 airlifted Botswana cheetahs from Gaborone to Gwalior for onward helicopter transfer to Kuno National Park.
Exercise Garuda 25 concluded at Mont-de-Marsan, France; C-17s provided transport support and IL-78s supported the participating Su-30MKI fighters.
The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for sustainment of the C-17 and C-130J fleets within proposals valued at about Rs 67,000 crore.
The IAF completed C-17 relief airlifts carrying 10 tonnes to Laos and 35 tonnes to Vietnam on 15-16 September after Typhoon Yagi.
A C-17 inserted two combat boats, armament and Indian Navy MARCOS personnel for the operation that compelled the hijackers of MV Ruen to surrender.
An IAF C-17 flew a nonstop night rescue from Sudan via Jeddah, carrying 192 passengers to India after a steep tactical arrival and assault landing with engines kept running throughout the ground operation.
Boeing delivered the Indian Air Force's eleventh C-17 Globemaster III, completing the fleet at 11 aircraft.
The US Department of Defense awarded Boeing a not-to-exceed USD 262 million contract for one India-unique C-17, with completion planned for August 2019.
The Indian Air Force formally inducted the C-17 at Hindan Air Force Station into 81 Squadron, the Skylords, with three aircraft then operational.
Boeing transferred the first C-17 to the Indian Air Force at Long Beach for its delivery flight to India.
1 tagged story
Four Rafales, two C-17s and 120-plus air warriors have landed in Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black 2026 — with an Il-78 topping up the fighters over Indonesia on the way, a small detail that says as much about India's reach as the exercise itself.
