The Ministry of Defence announced the successful completion of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, a major multinational air force exercise hosted by the Indian Air Force at Jodhpur from 26 September to 12 October 2026. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed participants on 10 October, emphasising India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence alongside international cooperation with trusted partners.
The exercise brought together air forces from seven participating nations: Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. In addition, 32 observer nations monitored the proceedings. The event showcased India’s indigenous defence capabilities and provided a platform for operational learning and enhanced interoperability among allied air forces.
Key facts
- Exercise held from 26 September to 12 October 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur
- Seven participating nations: Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, UAE, USA
- 32 observer nations participated
- Second edition of the exercise; inaugural edition held in 2024
- Indigenous platforms demonstrated: Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter Prachand
- Raksha Mantri addressed participants on 10 October 2026
What the exercise showcased
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 featured diverse military capabilities including combat aircraft, transport planes, surveillance systems and air-to-air refuelling assets. Participating air forces conducted joint mission planning, operational scenarios and collaborative exercises to test interoperability and shared procedures.
A key highlight was the participation of India’s indigenous aerospace platforms. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter Prachand demonstrated India’s progress in domestic aircraft design, engineering and manufacturing. Other indigenous systems showcased included the Akash air defence system, AESA radars, electronic warfare systems and emerging unmanned technologies.
India’s self-reliance in defence
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh stressed that Atmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliance in defence, is now a national policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He explained that self-reliance means developing domestic capabilities to design, develop, manufacture, maintain and upgrade critical defence technologies, not isolation from the world.
The Raksha Mantri highlighted India’s transformation from operating with limited resources at Independence to becoming a modern aerospace power. He cited the Tejas fighter aircraft, the Dhruv, Rudra and Prachand helicopters, the Light Utility Helicopter, the Akash air defence system and advanced electronic systems as examples of India’s indigenous capabilities. He also referenced the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme as a step towards mastering fifth-generation stealth fighter technology.
Modern warfare and future military power
Rajnath Singh observed that modern warfare has transformed beyond traditional land, sea and air domains to include space, cyber, the electromagnetic spectrum and information warfare. Unmanned systems, drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and long-range precision weapons now shape military operations.
He stated that future military power will not be defined by the number of platforms a nation possesses, but by the speed of sensing, understanding, deciding and acting. Speed, precision, information integration and interoperability have become defining attributes of military capability in this transformed environment.
Technology and trusted partnerships
The Raksha Mantri emphasised that defence relationships of the future will centre on technology and trust, not merely on acquiring platforms. India seeks cooperation with like-minded countries in research, co-development, co-production, maintenance, training and innovation.
He stressed that India must build strong indigenous capabilities while maintaining meaningful cooperation with trusted partners. The nation should act independently when required while operating effectively with allied nations when their interests and responsibilities align.
Exercise objectives and outcomes
Tarang Shakti provided participating air forces an opportunity to operate alongside each other, exchange operational knowledge, assess procedures and understand different platforms, doctrines and mission planning approaches. Aircrews and commanders learned from one another, examined existing assumptions and identified opportunities to improve their systems and processes.
Beyond flying operations, the exercise included professional engagements, industrial visits and cultural interactions such as yoga sessions, heritage visits and an International Night celebrating the traditions of participating nations. The Raksha Mantri called upon the Indian Air Force to incorporate lessons from the exercise into its training, tactics, technology, doctrine and future capability development.
What this means for you
For defence professionals and military strategists, the exercise demonstrates India’s growing role in regional security and aerospace innovation. For citizens interested in India’s defence capabilities, it shows significant progress in indigenous aircraft and systems development. For competitive exam aspirants, understanding this exercise and India’s defence policy priorities is relevant to current affairs and public administration studies.
What happens next
The Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that participating nations would carry forward the professional relationships and mutual understanding developed during the exercise to explore new avenues of aerospace and defence cooperation with India. The lessons from Tarang Shakti 2026 will inform India’s military training, tactics, technology and future defence capability development.