Seven foreign air forces to join Tarang Shakti-26 exercise in Jodhpur
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from 26 September to 12 October 2026, with seven Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs), the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, flying air assets alongside the IAF, and around 32 countries attending as observers.
The IAF Vice Chief of the Air Staff stated that for many years India's operational engagement with foreign air forces was conducted largely through bilateral exercises, and that Tarang Shakti now consolidates this into a single large multinational platform.
The US is set to field F-35A fighters and KC-135 tankers, the first-ever operational participation of a fifth-generation stealth fighter in an exercise on Indian soil; France is bringing Rafale, A400M and MRTT aircraft, and the UAE is participating with F-16s and a Global 6000.
The exercise, billed as the largest air exercise in Asia, is aimed at improving interoperability, joint tactics and showcasing the capabilities of India's aerospace and defence industry to partner air forces.
Bilateral vs. Multilateral Defence Exercises
India conducts a wide network of exercises: strictly bilateral ones (e.g., Cope India with the US, Garuda with France, Indra with Russia, Malabar-origin naval exercises) which build one-on-one interoperability and trust, and multilateral ones that bring many air forces together in a single complex scenario. Multilateral exercises test coalition-level command and control, cross-platform communication and combined tactics that bilateral exercises cannot replicate.
Key Details
- Tarang Shakti, launched in 2024, is described as India's first large-scale, IAF-hosted multinational air combat exercise.
- 2024 edition (1st): held in two phases at Sulur (Tamil Nadu) and Jodhpur; 10 countries with air assets (Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, UAE, UK, USA, Singapore) plus 18 observer nations; roughly 150 aircraft involved.
- 2026 edition (2nd): single location (Jodhpur); 7 countries with air assets and about 32 observer nations, a smaller flying contingent but wider observer interest, and includes the first-ever F-35 deployment to an Indian exercise.
- "Friendly Foreign Country" (FFC) is the IAF's formal designation for nations invited to participate with operational assets, as distinct from "observer" status.
The Vice Chief's remark about the historical reliance on bilateral exercises frames Tarang Shakti as a structural shift in India's defence diplomacy, from one-to-one engagement toward simultaneous multilateral coalition-building.
Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft and India's Airpower Context
Fifth-generation fighters combine low-observable (stealth) design, advanced sensor fusion, and networked situational awareness, representing a generational leap over the fourth/4.5-generation aircraft (e.g., Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas) that currently form the IAF's frontline fleet. India does not currently operate any fifth-generation fighter; its indigenous fifth-generation programme, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), is under development by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), with first flight not expected before the early 2030s.
Key Details
- The US F-35A Lightning II is a single-engine, single-seat multirole fifth-generation stealth fighter; its participation in Tarang Shakti 2026 is its first deployment to an Indian-hosted exercise.
- India's AMCA programme was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2024, targeting an indigenous twin-engine stealth fighter.
- Exposure to F-35 operations through Tarang Shakti gives the IAF direct interoperability and tactical experience with a platform class it does not yet operate.
Hosting the F-35 domestically, even briefly, lets the IAF study fifth-generation air operations first-hand ahead of its own AMCA induction, which remains at least a decade away.
India's Air Exercise Diplomacy and Defence Partnerships
Large joint exercises function as instruments of defence diplomacy, reinforcing strategic partnerships and signalling interoperability commitments alongside formal defence agreements (e.g., Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnerships, Logistics Support Agreements such as COMCASA, LEMOA, BECA with the US).
Key Details
- Participating FFCs in 2026 (US, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE) span India's Quad partnership (Australia, US), European defence partnerships (France, Germany), Gulf security ties (UAE) and neighbourhood engagement (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka).
- Such exercises typically precede or accompany defence-platform discussions, including Buy/Buy-and-Make procurement categories under India's Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP).
The geographically and strategically diverse FFC list for Tarang Shakti 2026 mirrors India's current diversified defence-partnership approach, spanning the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Gulf and South Asia in a single exercise window.
- Tarang Shakti 2026 (2nd edition): 26 September - 12 October 2026, Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- 7 Friendly Foreign Countries with air assets: US, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE; ~32 observer nations.
- 2024 (1st edition): Sulur (Tamil Nadu) and Jodhpur, two phases; 10 countries with assets, 18 observers, ~150 aircraft.
- First-ever F-35A deployment to an IAF-hosted exercise (2026 edition); also featured: KC-135 (US), Rafale/A400M/MRTT (France), F-16/Global 6000 (UAE).
- India's indigenous fifth-generation fighter, AMCA, approved by CCS in 2024; first flight not expected before the early 2030s.