Indian Air Force to Host Second Edition of Multinational Air Exercise Tarang Shakti-26 at Jodhpur from September 26 to October 12

Key facts

• The Indian Air Force will host the second edition of its largest-ever multinational air exercise, Tarang Shakti-26, from September 26 to October 12 at Air Force Station Jodhpur and adjoining air bases.
• Around 40 countries are expected to participate, with eight forces — India, Australia, Bangladesh, France, the United States, Germany, Sri Lanka and the UAE — taking part and 32 countries attending as observers.
• Around 10 Air Chiefs or their equivalents are likely to attend the exercise.
• Indian aircraft participating include the Rafale, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Tejas, MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI, alongside the US F-35, French Rafale, UAE F-16 and Bangladesh C-130J.
• The exercise will involve Beyond Visual Range and within Visual Range combat missions, air mobility operations, dynamic targeting, air-to-air refuelling and combat search and rescue operations, with aims of operational learning, greater interoperability and stronger partnerships.
• The maiden edition of Tarang Shakti was held in August-September 2024 in two phases, with 11 countries participating with their air assets.
• Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said Operation Sindoor reinforced lessons on intelligence-led operations, precision, integrated air and missile defence, counter-UAS and jointness across domains, and the exercise would also showcase India's indigenous platforms, sensors, weapons and unmanned systems.