Tarang Shakti 2026: IAF Hosts Multilateral Air Combat Exercise at Jodhpur

What happened

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is hosting the second edition of its premier multilateral air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti 2026. The exercise was inaugurated on 26 September 2026, and its operational phase commenced on 27 September 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan, alongside adjoining air bases. The exercise will run through 12 October 2026 under the official theme 'Power in Partnership'.

Seven Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) are participating in the exercise with air assets: the United States, Australia, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Additionally, around 32 friendly foreign nations are attending as observers, bringing total international representation to nearly 40 countries.

A major foreign deployment is by the French Air and Space Force under Mission Pégase 26. The French detachment includes four Rafale F4 fighter aircraft, three A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) Phénix refuelling aircraft, and two A400M Atlas transport aircraft. Other foreign platforms operating during the exercise include the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II from the United States, General Dynamics F-16 fighters from the UAE, Airbus KC-30A tankers from Australia, and C-130 / C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft.

The Indian Air Force has fielded a comprehensive mix of frontline combat and support assets. IAF combat aircraft deployed include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), MiG-29, Mirage 2000, and Jaguar. These are supported by IAF transport aircraft, helicopters, mid-air refuelling tankers, and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

Tarang Shakti 2026 focuses on large-force employment operations, advanced joint synthetic combat training, Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT), tactical interoperability, counter-air missions, air defence, Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) combat, and tactical airlift. Beyond flying drills, the event schedule features an International Defence Aviation Seminar, industrial tours of the Indian aerospace ecosystem, the Sekhon Marathon, cultural heritage visits, and joint yoga sessions.

📅 Important dates

📝 What candidates should do

• Note the host base, theme, participating air forces, and foreign deployment codenames for upcoming defence current affairs sections.
• Differentiate Tarang Shakti from bilateral IAF exercises such as Garuda (with France), Pitch Black (multilateral in Australia), and Desert Flag (multilateral in UAE).

🔍 PrepZen analysis

Exercise Tarang Shakti represents India's highest-level multinational air exercise, demonstrating the IAF's capability to orchestrate large-force employment operations with multiple international partners on domestic soil. The inclusion of fifth-generation assets such as the US F-35 alongside advanced French Rafale F4 and IAF platforms highlights deep operational trust and complex interoperability.

For competitive examinations, questions on military drills typically test factual accuracy across specific dimensions: the venue (AFS Jodhpur), edition (2nd edition), theme ('Power in Partnership'), participating countries (7 flying partners, ~32 observers), and specific foreign mission names (Mission Pégase 26). Students preparing for UPSC Prelims, AFCAT, CDS, SSC CGL, and Banking exams should pay close attention to the distinction between nations sending flying assets and those attending strictly as observers.

✍️ Practice questions

❓ FAQs

Prepared by the PrepZen Editorial Team from official releases and verified reports, for exam preparation. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.