80 aircraft, 40 countries: IAF’s Tarang Shakti air exercise kicks off in Jodhpur
Nearly 40 countries and 80 aircraft are participating in the Indian Air Force's (IAF) second edition of the Tarang Shakti air exercise, which began in Jodhpur on Saturday. The exercise, set to last two weeks, will see over a thousand sorties by both Indian and foreign fighter jets. The IAF welcomed guests from around the world on X, stating, "A warm welcome to our friends from across the skies as they touch down at Jodhpur. Welcome to India. Welcome to Tarang Shakti."
Seven countries are directly participating with advanced aircraft and fighter assets, while 32 nations are attending as observers. Key aircraft expected at the exercise include six US F-35 stealth fighter jets, seven French Rafales, UAE's six F-16 jets, and Australia's C-130 aircraft, alongside IAF fighter jets like Sukhois, Tejas, and Mirage-2000.
US Ambassador Sergio Gor expressed his excitement, saying, "American airpower has arrived in Jodhpur! Six F-35 Lightning IIs and 200+ Airmen are now in India for their first-ever participation in Exercise Tarang Shakti." French Ambassador Thierry Mathou also welcomed the participation, emphasizing the importance of the exercise in "enhancing Indo-French operational coordination and military interoperability."
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
