US Deploys F-35 Stealth Jets for India's Tarang Shakti Exercise

The Indian Air Force began hosting the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti on September 26, 2026, at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The multinational air combat exercise, which runs through October 12, involves over 40 countries, with eight nations providing air assets and 32 others attending as observers. The event marks the first time fifth-generation stealth fighters have undertaken tactical missions from an Indian airbase.

Six US F-35 Lightning II stealth jets and more than 200 airmen arrived in Jodhpur on Saturday to participate in the drills. Other participating nations include France, which deployed seven Rafale fighters, and the United Arab Emirates, which provided F-16 fighter jets. India is fielding its frontline platforms, including Rafale, Sukhoi-30MKI, Mirage 2000, and indigenous Tejas fighters, while utilizing tactical data links to ensure interoperability between Western and Russian-origin hardware.

The exercise focuses on large force engagements, dynamic targeting, and combat search and rescue. Indian officials stated the drills allow the force to test assumptions and improve interoperability, drawing on lessons from a brief conflict with Pakistan in May 2025. The participation of the F-35s is intended to provide Indian crews with direct experience operating alongside advanced stealth platforms to counter China's expanding fifth-generation fleet. This iteration of Tarang Shakti differs from the 2024 inaugural event by conducting all operations in a single phase at the Jodhpur location.