Indian Air Force Deploys Rafale Jets to Australia for Pitch Black 2026 Exercise

India’s Air Force contingent arrived in Darwin on 17 July 2026, bringing four Rafale fighter jets, two C‑17 transport aircraft and more than 120 airmen to take part in the Royal Australian Air Force’s multinational air combat drill, Pitch Black 2026. The exercise runs from 20 July to 7 August across the bases at Darwin, Tindal and Amberley and will involve up to 100 aircraft and over 2,500 personnel from roughly 20 nations.

The deployment, announced by the Indian High Commission in Canberra, underscores expanding defence cooperation between India and Australia and aims to boost interoperability, combat‑flying skills and long‑term operational ties with partner forces across the Indo‑Pacific and Europe. New participants this year include Japan’s F‑35s, Indonesia’s T‑50I trainers and, for the first time, embedded personnel from Finland and Sweden.

Air Commodore Matthew McCormack, exercise commander, described Pitch Black 2026 as “the Air Force’s largest collective training activity with our partners and allies,” reflecting the broader strategic engagement of India with the regional security architecture.