Rajnath Singh Addresses Multinational Air Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Jodhpur, Highlights Defence Self-Reliance and Global Partnerships

Key facts

• Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed participants of the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur on October 10, 2026.
• The Indian Air Force hosted the multinational air exercise from 26 September to 12 October 2026, with air forces from seven Friendly Foreign Countries—Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States—along with 32 observer nations.
• Indigenous platforms including the LCA Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand participated in the exercise, which featured combat, transport, surveillance and air-to-air refuelling capabilities.
• Singh highlighted indigenous systems such as Tejas, Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand, LUH, Akash air defence system and AESA radars, and referred to the AMCA programme as a step towards fifth-generation stealth fighter technology.
• The exercise's relevance was underscored by the role of air power in Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated the IAF's ability to conduct precise and calibrated operations.
• Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Admiral Krishna Swaminathan attended the event.