Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 26: Tarang Shakti 2026 has opened at Jodhpur with more than 40 countries set to participate. US F-35s, French Rafales and UAE F-16s feature in the plans. The real test is coordination.*
Different air forces, one exercise
More than 40 countries are set to join India’s Tarang Shakti exercise. The second edition began at Air Force Station Jodhpur on September 26. It is scheduled to run until October 12.
The headline figure matters less than what sits behind it. Different air forces bring different aircraft, crews and operating procedures. Bringing them into one multinational air exercise is a demanding task.
A varied fighter line-up
The fighter mix spans several aircraft types. The United States is set to deploy two to three F-35 fifth-generation aircraft. France is participating with Rafale fighters. The United Arab Emirates will deploy F-16s.
The Indian Air Force will field its own Rafale and Sukhoi-30 fleets. The mix is not a contest between platforms. It offers crews a chance to operate alongside different fighter aircraft.
Beyond the fighters
Modern military aviation depends on more than combat jets. Defence officials said IAF support platforms will also take part. These include airborne early warning and control, or AEW&C, aircraft. Transport aircraft and air-to-air refuelling tankers are also involved.
Several participating countries will contribute support assets, including transport aircraft. Such platforms widen the exercise beyond fighter flying. They allow crews to practise coordination across different aviation roles. That is where joint tactical operations become genuinely complex.
France stresses partnership
The French Air and Space Force reached Jodhpur a day before the exercise. Julien Sabene is deputy commander of the French Air Defence and Air Operations Command. He said France flew four jets across the world through the PEGASE 26 mission.
He described India as “a global strategic partner” of France. France will have seven Rafales working alongside the Indian Air Force, he said. He also spoke on what the report described as India’s plan to buy 114 Rafales. His comments reflect France’s view of India-France defence cooperation.
A busy airbase
Jodhpur’s exercise calendar has been crowded. Tarang Shakti follows Veer Guardian, a bilateral Indo-Japan air combat exercise. That exercise was also hosted at the Jodhpur airbase. The two remain separate exercises with different formats.
Building on 2024
The inaugural Tarang Shakti was held in 2024. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh then linked it to stronger cooperation with partners. He also cited coordination and trust with partner countries. The 2026 edition extends that multinational format.
The coordination question
Tarang Shakti’s value will not be measured by aircraft numbers. It lies in how different crews and platforms work together. Participation alone does not guarantee interoperability. The exercise provides an environment to practise it. Its lessons will become clearer only after October 12.
