More than 80 Indian and foreign aircraft, including fighters ranging from the F-35 to the locally produced Tejas light combat aircraft, will participate in Tarang Shakti, the Indian Air Force’s largest multilateral air combat exercise, which begins in Jodhpur on Saturday, officials aware of the matter said on the eve of the two-week-long air drills.
During this mission, the force is taking part in Tarang Shakti. “We do not conduct Tarang Shakti to demonstrate what we already know. We conduct it to discover what we still need to learn. Our operational experience, including Operation Sindoor, gives us lessons. Our partners bring their own operational experience.
The French Air and Space Force is conducting its seventh long-range air projection exercise, Mission Pégase, from September 8 to October 2026, with the aim of demonstrating the core capabilities of the force – rapidly projecting long-range air power anywhere in the world and defending France’s overseas territories or strategic interests, a French statement said.
Bringing these together in a realistic training environment allows us to test assumptions, challenge procedures, understand different methods of employing air power and improve interoperability,” IAF vice chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit earlier said.
French Military Leaders to Engage with Indian Armed Forces
Lieutenant General Dominique Tardif, vice chief of the French Air and Space Force, along with Major General Julien Sabéné, head of Mission Pégase, will engage in discussions with officials from the Indian armed forces. These talks aim to strengthen military cooperation between France and India, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance defense partnerships.
