Exercise Tarang Shakti: A Mirror to India’s Multipronged Engagements

Tarang Shakti is a biennial multinational air exercise hosted by India. Its second edition ran from September 26 to October 12 near Jodhpur, under the theme “Power in Partnership.” It matters because countries use such exercises to build practical cooperation, not simply display aircraft. The wider goal is stronger interoperability and trust.

The Indian Air Force trained with air forces from Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Their aircraft flew alongside Indian fighters, transport planes, tankers, and support platforms. Participants also held subject matter exchanges, including a briefing on India’s Operation Sindoor.

Tarang Shakti involved more than 800 sorties and 600 flying hours. The United States deployed six F-35A fighters and a KC-135R tanker, while France brought Rafales, refuellers, transports, and personnel. These activities help partners understand one another’s systems, procedures, and operational lessons before a real crisis.

India hosted Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States at Tarang Shakti. Thirty-two other nations participated as observers. This mix mattered because the exercise connected India with both established partners and other like-minded countries across a broad military network.

The aircraft lineup was unusually diverse. India flew the LCA, Rafale, Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, and Jaguar. The United States brought six F-35A Lightning IIs and a KC-135R Stratotanker. France deployed four Rafales, three A330 Phoenix refuellers, and two A400M transports. The UAE contributed F-16s.

The exercise also included A-400M and C-130 or C-130J transport aircraft, aerial refuelling tankers, G-6000 aircraft, and other support platforms. These assets allowed participants to practice more than fighter operations. They also supported transport, refuelling, long-range deployment, and sustainment.

The exercise involved the Indian Air Force and seven foreign air forces: Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the UAE, and the United States. Thirty-two additional nations participated as observers. The article does not provide one total for all personnel or all aircraft, so those figures should not be invented.

The United States deployed six F-35A fighters, one KC-135R tanker, and more than 200 personnel. France fielded four Rafales, three A330 Phoenix refuellers, two A400M transports, and 300 personnel. India flew several fighter types, including the LCA, Rafale, Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, and Jaguar.

The clearest overall activity measures were more than 800 sorties and 600 hours flown. The scale therefore came from both the number of participating nations and the variety of missions. Fighter operations were supported by transport, refuelling, and other support aircraft, creating a demanding multinational training environment.

Joint exercises help armed forces discover how well they can operate together before a crisis. The article highlights interoperability across land, sea, and air. That can improve coordination, communication, mission planning, logistics, and the use of different weapons and support systems. Trust also grows through repeated contact and shared experience.

Yudh Abhyas offered a concrete land example. Indian and U.S. troops trained at high altitude, then used U.S. HIMARS, Indian Pinaka rocket systems, and counter-drone systems during long-range firepower drills. Tarang Shakti added fighter operations, transport, aerial refuelling, and support missions. Indra provides a naval setting for similar cooperation.

Partners also exchange operational knowledge. At Tarang Shakti, India briefed visiting forces on lessons from Operation Sindoor. France’s Pegase26 mission demonstrated long-range deployment, sustainment, and adaptability across more than 40,000 miles. Future exercises can turn these experiences into more compatible procedures and stronger joint readiness.

The formation was significant because it brought together aircraft linked to different defense relationships. India’s Su-30MKI is of Russian origin, while the F-35 is an American fifth-generation fighter. Their appearance together showed that India’s military partnerships are not confined to one supplier or bloc. It illustrated India’s multi-pronged foreign policy.

The formation also included an Indian LCA, a French Rafale, and a UAE F-16. The Su-30MKI sat at the center, with the F-35 and LCA on one side and the Rafale and UAE F-16 on the other. This was a visible demonstration of different air forces operating in a coordinated setting.

The United States had sent six F-35A aircraft to Tarang Shakti, their first exercise over Indian skies. U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor called their presence another example of trust. The event therefore suggested that technology access and confidence between India and partners are deepening together.

Strategic autonomy means keeping independent choices while working with several partners. India’s exercise calendar reflects that approach. It deepened cooperation with the United States through Tarang Shakti and Yudh Abhyas, maintained its annual Indra exercise with Russia, and trained with France and other countries. These relationships serve practical defense needs without forming a single exclusive partnership.

The article’s examples show this clearly. U.S. F-35s flew beside India’s Russian-origin Su-30MKIs. French Rafales, Indian aircraft, and UAE F-16s shared the same formation. At sea, Indian and Russian navies held Indra at Vladivostok from October 13 to 18. These engagements occurred alongside exercises with other nations.

This multi-vectored policy gives India wider interoperability and access to varied operational experience. It also demonstrates trust with different partners. The likely forward direction, based on the article, is continued military diplomacy across land, sea, and air while India retains strategic autonomy.

Military interoperability is the ability of different forces to plan, communicate, and conduct missions together. It is not just about placing compatible aircraft or weapons on a runway. People must understand procedures, command arrangements, timing, and each other’s capabilities. Trust matters because partners may need to share information and rely on one another under pressure.

Tarang Shakti demonstrated this through mixed formations and varied support assets. Indian Su-30MKIs, LCAs, Rafales, Mirage 2000s, MiG-29s, and Jaguars operated with F-35s, French Rafales, and UAE F-16s. Transport aircraft, tankers, and support platforms added coordination challenges. Yudh Abhyas similarly linked HIMARS, Pinaka, and counter-drone systems.

These exercises expose gaps while conditions are controlled. Subject matter exchanges add another layer by sharing operational lessons, including India’s briefing on Operation Sindoor. As the Defense Minister put it, future defense relationships will involve technology and trust, not platforms alone. That principle points toward deeper, more practical cooperation.