IAF Inaugurates Ground Defence College at Avadi, Begins First Ground Combat Course
The Indian Air Force has inaugurated a new dedicated institution for airbase ground defence training, opening the Indian Air Force Ground Defence College at Air Force Station Avadi on Monday, 7 September 2026. The launch was accompanied by the commencement of the first Ground Combat Course at the facility, giving the IAF a specialised centre focused on training personnel for the protection of airbases and other critical assets.
Air Marshal S Sivakumar, VSM, the Air Officer-in-Charge Administration (AOA), inaugurated the college. His presence at the opening underlined the importance the service is placing on strengthening ground-based security capabilities alongside its core air power role.
The new college has been established at a time when the IAF is placing greater emphasis on preparing its personnel to deal with a range of security threats to airbases and other strategically important installations. The institution is intended to build a more focused training framework for ground defence, an area that has become increasingly relevant to the continuity and resilience of air operations.
In practical terms, the opening reflects the reality that air operations depend on much more than aircraft, pilots and airborne platforms. The security of the bases from which aircraft operate is equally critical, especially in situations where threats could affect runway availability, operational tempo or the safety of personnel and infrastructure. Specialised ground combat and security training is therefore central to ensuring that air operations can continue without interruption, particularly in heightened threat environments.
The inauguration also brought together representatives from Headquarters Maintenance Command and Training Command, along with invitees from the Defence Forces and civil security agencies. Their attendance pointed to the broader security ecosystem involved in protecting sensitive military installations, where coordination between different services and agencies can be important for both training and operational readiness.
That inter-agency presence also reflected the value of shared expertise in safeguarding installations of high strategic importance. The college is expected to serve as a point where operational experience, training methods and security practices can be developed and refined for use in airbase ground defence and related security duties.
With the first Ground Combat Course now underway, the Indian Air Force Ground Defence College is set to function as a dedicated centre for developing specialised skills, operational preparedness and professional expertise in airbase ground defence and security operations. The new facility adds a structured training platform to the IAF’s wider effort to reinforce the protection of its operational infrastructure.
