India Hosts Tarang Shakti Exercise With US F-35 Stealth Fighters

The Indian Air Force will host the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti from September 26 to October 12, 2026, at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The multinational exercise will involve nine confirmed participating air forces, including those of France, Germany, Greece, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, with approximately 30 other countries attending as observers.

In a first for an Indian military exercise, the United States Air Force will deploy F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft. This participation provides Indian crews with direct experience operating alongside fifth-generation platforms. Other deployed assets will include F-16s, F/A-18s, and Rafales, while India will field its Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, and indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft, supported by refueling tankers and airborne early warning systems.

Unlike the 2024 inaugural event, this iteration will conduct all operations in a single phase at the Jodhpur site. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh characterized the exercise as an opportunity to strengthen defense cooperation and trust among partner nations. While the U.S. has indicated a path for India to acquire F-35s, the Indian Air Force has not received a formal proposal and continues to prioritize its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft to counter fifth- and sixth-generation fighters deployed by China.