The Russians have India’s military by the short hairs because of they cut off replacement parts, etc., the Paks will be able to hit them hard and the Red Chinese could wipe them out.
Six lousy aerial refueling tankers for all of the Indian military/Air Force. We have more than that in storage in the “Boneyard” in Tucson, AZ.
And why would the Russians want to cut off their biggest and only not-hostile major power customer? And why do you think that the Indian Air Force does not stock enough spare parts to last a war? And why would you think that the Rafales and Mirage 2000s could not take care of the initial Chinese thrust till more parts found their way on French and British aircraft? The Pakis would fall to the MiG21s and the Tejas which is equal to anyting the Pakis can use.
Indias reliance on Russian systems was due to the mollycoddling of the Pakis by America all these years.
To think that America would not help India in a shooting match with China is absurd. Everything except boots on the ground, which we have 2 million of, anyway.
Miniscule but where does the Indian Air Force have to go that would require a large tanker fleet?