Multinational Air Exercise Tarang Shakti-26

Summary of Tarang Shakti-26

Event:
Second edition of the multinational air exercise, Tarang Shakti-26
Location:
Air Force Station Jodhpur, India
Dates:
September 26 to October 12, 2026

Participants:

• Seven foreign air forces:
  • United States
  • France
  • Germany
  • Australia
  • Bangladesh
  • Sri Lanka
  • United Arab Emirates

Aircraft Involved:

• U.S. Air Force F-35 (first tactical participation in India)
• French Rafale
• UAE F-16
• Bangladeshi C-130J
• IAF Platforms: Rafale, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Tejas, MiG-29, Su-30MKI

Objectives:

• Enhance interoperability among participating air forces
• Exchange operational experience
• Showcase India’s air combat capabilities

Context:

• Shift from bilateral to multinational air operations with multiple air forces.
• Changing character of warfare, emphasizing integrated air and missile defense, precision strikes, unmanned systems, and information dominance.
• Reference to Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led operations and jointness across domains.

Organizational Statement:
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of Air Staff, emphasized the evolving nature of warfare and the need for complex multinational operational capabilities.

Future Developments:

• Focus on the delivery and testing of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, with initial delays attributed to engine procurement.

Significance:

• The exercise reflects an increasing collaborative defense posture and capability development among allied nations in response to modern military challenges.

Related Indicators:

• Increase in multinational military cooperation
• Development and procurement of indigenous military technologies (LCA Mk1A)

This exercise positions the Indian Air Force at the forefront of contemporary military operations, facilitating both tactical proficiency and strategic collaborations on a global scale.