New Delhi, August 4: Following ‘Operation Sindoor’, air forces from friendly nations worldwide are eager to engage in military exercises with India. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has demonstrated precision strikes, effectively neutralizing terrorist headquarters on the Pakistani mainland without collateral damage. This has led to a long list of countries wishing to collaborate with the IAF for training purposes. Over the next two months, the IAF’s exercise calendar is fully booked.
Currently, four Rafale fighter jets, two C-17 Globemaster aircraft, and over 100 IAF personnel are participating in the multinational air exercise Pitch Black in Australia. This exercise, which began on July 20, will run until August 7 and includes air forces from 19 nations.
Immediately after this exercise, the IAF team will participate in a joint exercise called Udara Shakti with the Royal Malaysian Air Force in the first week of August. This week-long exercise will allow both nations to share operational experiences and combat skills. The IAF’s Rafale jets will fly alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Sukhoi fighters.
Following Udara Shakti, the IAF will engage in a bilateral air exercise named Veer Guardian with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Scheduled from September 12 to September 23 at the Jodhpur airbase in Rajasthan, this exercise will feature IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Japan’s F-2 fighter jets.
The inaugural edition of the Veer Guardian exercise took place in 2023 at Japan’s Hyakuri airbase. During that time, the IAF deployed Sukhoi Su-30MKI, C-17, and IL-78 mid-air refuelers, while Japan contributed four F-2 and four F-15 fighter jets. The decision to initiate this joint air exercise was made during the 2+2 dialogue held in Tokyo in 2022.
Once the Veer Guardian exercise concludes, the Jodhpur airbase will host the largest multinational air exercise of 2026, Tarang Shakti 2026. According to defense officials, India has sent invitations to allied air forces to participate. So far, more than half a dozen countries have agreed to send their fighter jets, while several others will join as observers.
The first edition of Tarang Shakti was launched in 2024, and the second edition is set for 2026. This year’s exercise will commence on September 26 in Rajasthan, where allied fighter jets will conduct joint maneuvers near the Pakistani border for about two weeks.
The first edition of Tarang Shakti in 2024 was conducted in two phases. The first phase took place at the Sulur airbase in Tamil Nadu, while the second phase was held at the Jodhpur airbase.
The first phase included French Rafales, Eurofighter Typhoons from Germany, Spain, and the UK. The IAF showcased nearly all its major platforms, including Rafale, Sukhoi, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Tejas, MiG-29, and the Prachand, demonstrating their operational capabilities.
The second phase occurred from August 29 to September 14 in Jodhpur, featuring 27 fighter jets, including Australia’s EA-18G Growler, Greece’s F-16, and the UAE’s F-16, alongside American A-10 and F-16 aircraft. Additionally, two air-to-air refuelers, two airborne early warning and control systems (AEW&C), and three special forces aircraft participated. The spotlight was on the American A-10 and Australia’s EA-18G Growler during this phase.
During Tarang Shakti 2024, for the first time, the vice chiefs of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy flew together in the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft. The current Air Force Chief and then Deputy Chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh led this special formation. Additionally, the air force chiefs of France and Germany also flew in the Tejas, while Spain’s air force chief participated in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
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