Tarang Shakti 2026 Opens in Jodhpur With Seven Partner Air Forces

The Indian Air Force has opened Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur, beginning more than two weeks of multinational training designed to test how aircraft, crews and support systems from different countries operate together in complex missions.

The second edition of the exercise began on September 26 and will continue at Jodhpur and adjoining air bases in Rajasthan until October 12. Its operational flying phase is scheduled from September 28 to October 11, followed by the closing ceremony on October 12.

Seven countries participating with aircraft

Seven partner countries are taking part with air assets: Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Representatives from another 32 countries are attending as observers, giving the exercise a wider diplomatic reach beyond the forces directly involved in flying missions.

The visiting contingent brings together combat, transport, surveillance and refuelling capabilities. The United States is participating with F-35A fighters and KC-135 tankers, while France has deployed Rafale fighters, A400M transport aircraft and multirole tanker transports. The UAE is represented by F-16 fighters and a Global 6000 aircraft.

Australia and Bangladesh have brought C-130-family transport aircraft, Germany is participating with A400M airlifters, and Sri Lanka has sent a King Air surveillance aircraft. The IAF is expected to employ a broad selection of its own combat and support fleet, including Rafale, Su-30MKI, Tejas, Mirage 2000 and other aircraft used for surveillance, transport and aerial refuelling.

What the exercise is designed to test

Tarang Shakti is intended to expose participating forces to the planning and execution of joint air operations in a realistic contemporary battlespace. Its mission sets cover counter-air operations, air defence, reconnaissance, combat support, airlift and air-to-air refuelling.

The training goes beyond placing different fighter types in the same airspace. Multinational operations require compatible procedures for mission planning, communications, airspace management, targeting, refuelling, safety and post-flight assessment. Ground crews, controllers, engineers and logistics teams must also coordinate deployments involving aircraft built around different technical and operational systems.

Participants will be divided into formations for simulated missions launched from separate bases. This structure allows crews to practise responding to contested scenarios while working with unfamiliar partners, aircraft and command arrangements. Familiarisation and exchange sorties are scheduled at the beginning of the operational phase before the missions increase in complexity.

Schedule through October 12

• September 26: Opening ceremony at Jodhpur.
• September 28: Operational flying begins with familiarisation and exchange sorties.
• September 29: Delegations are scheduled to visit Bengaluru’s aerospace and defence ecosystem.
• October 3: A visit linked to India’s C-295 manufacturing programme is planned.
• October 8: An open day featuring static and aerial displays is scheduled alongside Indian Air Force Day activities.
• October 9: An air-power seminar in New Delhi will examine the role of air power in an evolving battlespace.
• October 10: A distinguished visitors’ programme will include static and aerial displays.
• October 11: The operational phase is scheduled to conclude.
• October 12: Closing ceremony.

A signal about India’s defence partnerships

The composition of Tarang Shakti reflects India’s effort to maintain defence relationships across regions rather than within a single alliance structure. The participants include major Western military powers, an important Gulf partner and neighbouring South Asian air forces. That combination supports New Delhi’s preference for flexible partnerships built around practical cooperation.

Hosting the exercise also shifts India’s role from being primarily a participant in foreign-led drills to becoming a convening power. Successfully managing aircraft, personnel and observers from dozens of countries demonstrates organisational capacity while giving the IAF greater influence over training scenarios and professional exchanges.

The presence of advanced fighters, tankers, transports and surveillance platforms creates opportunities to compare tactics and understand how partner forces employ air power. Such familiarity can become valuable during humanitarian missions, evacuations, disaster response or other contingencies in which several countries may need to coordinate quickly.

Tarang Shakti additionally offers India a platform to present its domestic aerospace and defence capabilities to foreign delegations. Visits, displays and seminars connect operational training with industrial cooperation, potentially supporting future partnerships in manufacturing, maintenance, technology and supply chains.

The exercise does not create a formal military bloc, but it does signal that India wants deeper operational relationships with a broad group of countries. By making multinational training a recurring feature of its defence engagement, New Delhi is building professional connections that can reinforce diplomacy long after the aircraft leave Jodhpur.