India hosts Tarang Shakti 2026 multinational air exercise

The Indian Air Force (IAF) hosted the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti from September 26 to October 12 at the Jodhpur Air Force Station. The multinational exercise included air forces from seven Friendly Foreign Countries—Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States—alongside 32 observer nations.

During the event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the necessity of self-reliance in the defence sector and the importance of international partnerships. He noted that modern warfare is evolving to include space, cyber, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the information domain, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, drones, and electronic warfare. Singh stated that future military power will be defined by the speed of sensing, understanding, deciding, and acting.

A significant point of interest during the exercise was Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike conducted by the IAF following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. Participating nations, including the US Air Force, engaged in subject matter expert exchanges to learn from India’s experience with the operation.