The Indian Air Force commenced the operational phase of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan on 27 September 2026. The multilateral air exercise, held from 26 September to 12 October 2026 under the theme Power in Partnership, brings together seven foreign air forces alongside India. With advanced fighters like the F-35, Rafale and F-16 flying together, it is India’s largest multinational air drill in this cycle.
What Is Exercise Tarang Shakti?
Exercise Tarang Shakti is the Indian Air Force’s biennial air combat exercise. Tarang means wave and Shakti means power. It brings foreign air forces to India for flying, operational training and interoperability practice. The first edition was held in 2024 and the second edition is held in 2026 at Jodhpur.
The Indian Air Force (IAF), which was established in 1932 and is headquartered in New Delhi, hosts and leads the exercise. The Ministry of Defence is the nodal ministry for the drill. A multilateral exercise means air forces of more than two countries train together under a common plan. Interoperability means the ability of different air forces to fly, communicate and fight together without confusion.
The core mandate is practical. Aircrew, mission planners and ground support teams operate side by side and learn each other’s procedures, tactics and safety standards. The exercise covers counter air operations, air defence, combat manoeuvres, reconnaissance, airlift and air to air refuelling. It also helps India showcase its indigenous aircraft, systems and aerospace industry to partner nations.
Tarang Shakti 2026: Dates, Venue and Theme
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 is held at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan from 26 September to 12 October 2026. The inaugural ceremony took place on 26 September and the operational flying phase commenced on 27 September. The official theme for the edition is Power in Partnership.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exercise name | Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, also written as Ex Tarang Shakti 26 |
| Host | Indian Air Force |
| Venue | Air Force Station Jodhpur and adjoining air bases in Rajasthan |
| Dates | 26 September to 12 October 2026 |
| Operational phase start | 27 September 2026 |
| Theme | Power in Partnership |
| State | Rajasthan |
The theme points to the central idea of the drill. Modern air warfare needs close coordination between radar controllers, fighter pilots, transport crew and refuelling tankers from different countries. Partnership here means shared planning, common radio procedures and mutual trust during complex missions. The Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit (as of September 2026), briefed the media on 22 September 2026 at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi and explained this wide canvas of missions.
Which Countries Are Participating in Tarang Shakti 2026?
Tarang Shakti 2026 includes India and seven Friendly Foreign Countries: Australia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. These seven participate with aircraft and personnel. More than 40 countries in total are involved, with the remaining nations attending as observers.
| Participating Air Force | Region | Mode of participation in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| India (Host) | South Asia | Full host with combat and support elements |
| Australia | Indo Pacific | With air assets |
| United States | North America | With air assets, including F-35 debut |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | West Asia | With air assets, including F-16s |
| France | Europe | With air assets, four Rafales under Mission PEGASE 26 |
| Germany | Europe | With air assets |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | With air assets |
| Bangladesh | South Asia | With air assets |
Friendly Foreign Countries, shortened as FFCs, is the official term used by the Ministry of Defence for partner nations invited to the drill. Apart from the seven flying contingents, around 32 to 33 other countries attend as observers. Together, the total engagement crosses 40 countries. This large observer presence allows more air forces to study procedures, attend the seminar and build contacts even when they do not bring aircraft.
Two highlights stand out in 2026. The United States Air Force has brought six F-35 Lightning II fighters with more than 200 personnel, marking the first ever participation of the F-35 in Tarang Shakti. The French Air and Space Force arrived on 25 September with four Rafale fighters and a 300 member contingent as part of its long range deployment called Mission PEGASE 26, which underlines the India France strategic partnership.
What Aircraft and Missions Are Involved?
The 2026 edition brings a rare mix of combat, transport and refuelling aircraft to the same sky. Combat aircraft practise joint offensive and defensive missions. Transport and tanker aircraft practise moving troops and refuelling fighters in mid air. This combination tests the full chain of a real air campaign.
| Aircraft in Tarang Shakti 2026 | Type | Role in exercise |
|---|---|---|
| F-35 Lightning II | Fifth generation stealth fighter | Advanced combat and joint tactics with partners |
| Rafale | Multirole fighter | Air combat and interoperability with Indian Rafales |
| F-16 | Multirole fighter | Combat missions and tactical exchange |
| A400M Atlas | Military transport aircraft | Airlift and logistics movement |
| MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) | Air to air refueller | Mid air refuelling of fighters |
| C-130 and C-130J Hercules | Tactical airlifter | Troop movement and special missions |
| KC-30A | Tanker transport | Refuelling and long range support |
The Indian Air Force operates alongside all contingents with its frontline combat platforms and support elements. India is showcasing indigenous systems during the drill, including the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand and the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv. Support assets such as airborne warning and control system aircraft, flight refuellers and helicopters add radar cover and rescue support.
The flying syllabus is demanding. Crews fly counter air operations to gain control of the sky, air defence to protect ground assets, close combat, intercepts, reconnaissance to gather information, airlift drops and air to air refuelling. Planners from different countries sit together to design a common mission, brief in English aviation terms and then execute it. Such practice builds a shared language in the air and on the tarmac. Ground crews also interact closely on maintenance, safety checks and turnaround procedures.
Air Force Station Jodhpur: The Venue in Rajasthan
Tarang Shakti 2026 is held in the state of Rajasthan. The main venue is Air Force Station Jodhpur, with adjoining air bases in the region supporting flying activity. Jodhpur lies in western Rajasthan, close to the border areas, and offers large desert airspace that is ideal for complex multinational missions.
The station operates under the South Western Air Command (SWAC) of the Indian Air Force. SWAC was raised in 1980 and is headquartered in Gandhinagar in Gujarat. It controls air operations across Rajasthan, Gujarat and parts of western India. Jodhpur houses the 32 Wing, one of the important operational wings of the command, and regularly hosts fighter, helicopter and transport units.
The choice of Jodhpur is deliberate. The base has long runways, maintenance bays and staging capacity for heavy fighters, large transporters and tankers from several countries at the same time. The dry weather in September and October gives clear skies and reliable flying conditions. Its western location also lets planners practise realistic long range missions, air defence drills and joint refuelling profiles that mirror operational tasks in the region.
Tarang Shakti 2024: The First Edition and Comparison With 2026
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 builds on the inaugural edition held in 2024. The 2024 edition was India’s largest multinational air exercise at that time. Invitations were extended to 51 countries. Eleven countries took part with aircraft and 18 countries joined as observers. Nearly 150 aircraft, Indian and foreign combined, flew during the exercise, with 70 to 80 aircraft active in each phase.
The first phase was held at Air Force Station Sulur in Tamil Nadu from 6 to 14 August 2024. Apart from India, the flying contingents were France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Sulur is home to the Tejas fleet and the locally built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft flew both friendly and opposing missions alongside Rafales and Eurofighter Typhoons. The performance drew attention and senior chiefs of France and Germany flew in the Tejas.
The second phase was held at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 29 August to 14 September 2024. Flying contingents included Australia, Greece, Japan, Singapore, the UAE and the United States, while Sri Lanka joined after Bangladesh retained only observer presence. Australia fielded combat aircraft in India for the first time with EA-18G Growlers. Greece took part in a military drill in India for the first time.
| Feature | Tarang Shakti 2024 | Tarang Shakti 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Inaugural edition | Second edition |
| Format | Two phases, Sulur and Jodhpur | Single concentrated phase at Jodhpur |
| Dates | 6 August to 14 September 2024 | 26 September to 12 October 2026 |
| Countries with aircraft | 11 countries | Seven Friendly Foreign Countries plus India |
| Total engagement | About 30 nations in some role | More than 40 countries including observers |
| Signature aircraft | Rafale, Typhoon, F-18, F-16, Tejas | F-35 debut, Rafale, F-16, A400M, MRTT, C-130J, KC-30A |
The continuity between the two editions is clear. The 2024 drill proved that India can host and manage large force engagements with diverse aircraft and languages. The 2026 edition uses that base to deepen joint training and widen professional and industrial engagement.
Significance for India and the Way Forward
The exercise strengthens operational readiness. Indian pilots and controllers train with some of the most advanced air forces from the Indo Pacific, Europe and West Asia at the same time. They learn new tactics, test their skills against fifth generation stealth fighters and fourth generation workhorses, and improve joint mission planning. The focus on aerospace safety and common procedures reduces risk when different fleets share crowded skies.
The exercise also supports diplomacy and industry. Flying together builds trust faster than meetings alone. For India, it demonstrates the ability to lead a large coalition drill and to coordinate logistics, air traffic and maintenance for dozens of foreign aircraft. The dedicated seminar brings air leaders and experts together to discuss future air warfare. The industrial tour exposes foreign contingents to India’s aerospace factories, maintenance facilities and home grown platforms, which supports self reliance in defence production.
The wider canvas in 2026 adds people to people contact. The programme includes the Sekhon Marathon, heritage tours around Rajasthan, yoga sessions and cultural events. Such outreach builds camaraderie among young officers and ground staff, who will work together again in future drills.
Looking ahead, Tarang Shakti is designed as a biennial exercise, which means it is held once every two years. The path from 2024 to 2026 shows a shift from proving scale to building depth in interoperability and partnership. If the current momentum holds, future editions are likely to see larger fighter participation, deeper space and drone integration, and stronger industry linkages, while reinforcing India’s role in support of regional peace, security and stability.
Key Takeaways
- The operational phase of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 commenced on 27 September 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
- The exercise is held from 26 September to 12 October 2026 under the theme Power in Partnership.
- Seven Friendly Foreign Countries participate with air assets: Australia, the United States, the UAE, France, Germany, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while total engagement crosses 40 countries including observers.
- Foreign aircraft include the F-35 Lightning II, Rafale, F-16, A400M, MRTT, C-130, C-130J and KC-30A, with the F-35 making its Tarang Shakti debut in 2026.
- The inaugural Tarang Shakti 2024 was held in two phases at Sulur and Jodhpur with nearly 150 aircraft and invitations to 51 countries.
- The 2026 programme extends beyond flying to include a seminar, industrial tour, Sekhon Marathon, heritage tours and yoga sessions, and the drill is designed as a biennial exercise.
