Indian Air Force Salary 2026 — Agniveer Vayu, Rank-wise Pay & In-hand
Agniveer Vayu (X / Y group) package
Airman entry — earlier split into Group X (technical) and Group Y (non-technical) — is now through the Agnipath scheme as Agniveer Vayu. The package matches the tri-service Agniveer scheme: ₹30,000 a month in year 1 rising to ₹40,000 by year 4, with about 30% going into the Seva Nidhi corpus. Group X/Y trade choice affects the eligibility and training stream, not the Agniveer package.
| Year | Monthly package (₹) | Approx in-hand (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 30,000 | 21,000 |
| Year 2 | 33,000 | 23,100 |
| Year 3 | 36,500 | 25,580 |
| Year 4 | 40,000 | 28,000 |
Agnipath scheme package (not the 7th CPC pay matrix). Seva Nidhi lump sum on exit is roughly ₹10.04–11.71 lakh, plus a life-insurance cover of about ₹48 lakh during service. Source: Ministry of Defence.
Rank-wise pay for airmen and officers
Regular airmen and commissioned officers are on the 7th CPC defence pay matrix, with the same basic pay as equivalent Army ranks and MSP added (₹5,200 for airmen, ₹15,500 for officers up to Air Commodore).
| Rank | Pay Level | Entry Basic Pay (₹) | MSP (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraftman / Leading Aircraftman | Level 3 | 21,700 | 5,200 |
| Corporal | Level 4 | 25,500 | 5,200 |
| Sergeant | Level 5 | 29,200 | 5,200 |
| Junior Warrant Officer | Level 6 | 35,400 | 5,200 |
| Warrant Officer / Master Warrant Officer | Level 7–8 | 44,900–47,600 | 5,200 |
| Flying Officer | Level 10 | 56,100 | 15,500 |
| Flight Lieutenant | Level 10B | 61,300 | 15,500 |
| Squadron Leader | Level 11 | 69,400 | 15,500 |
| Wing Commander | Level 12A | 1,21,200 | 15,500 |
| Group Captain | Level 13 | 1,30,600 | 15,500 |
| Air Commodore | Level 13A | 1,39,600 | 15,500 |
| Air Vice Marshal | Level 14 | 1,44,200 | — |
Entry (first-stage) basic pay of the defence pay matrix; IAF ranks map to the same pay levels as equivalent Army ranks. MSP ₹15,500 for officers up to Air Commodore; ₹5,200 for airmen. In-hand adds DA (60%), MSP and allowances (flying, HRA, etc.).
Flying and other allowances
Aircrew draw Flying Allowance on top of basic pay, MSP and DA — a substantial add-on for pilots and flying-branch officers. Ground-duty and technical branches draw their own allowances plus HRA and transport. Officer entry routes include the NDA exam, AFCAT and NCC special entry.
Sources & Official References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary of an Agniveer Vayu?
Agniveer Vayu is on the tri-service Agniveer package: ₹30,000 a month in year 1 rising to ₹40,000 by year 4, with roughly ₹21,000–₹28,000 in-hand after the Seva Nidhi deduction, plus a Seva Nidhi lump sum of about ₹10.04–11.71 lakh on completing four years.
What replaced the X and Y group airman entry?
Airman recruitment into Group X (technical) and Group Y (non-technical) has been replaced by the Agnipath scheme's Agniveer Vayu intake. The trade stream still matters for training and role, but pay during the four-year tenure follows the Agniveer package.
Do Air Force pilots get flying allowance?
Yes. Flying-branch officers receive Flying Allowance in addition to basic pay, MSP and DA, which makes their in-hand notably higher than ground-duty officers at the same rank.
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