look news india
Jodhpur/New Delhi. The roar of the world’s most powerful military aircraft has started echoing at Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan, located just 200 kilometers from the India-Pakistan border. A large and high-profile contingent of the US Air Force has reached Jodhpur for the multinational exercise ‘Tarang Shakti 2026’ hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from 26 September to 12 October 2026. This American military team has the world’s most advanced 5th generation stealth fighter jet. F-35 Lightning II Is included. Along with 6 F-35 fighter planes of the US Air Force, two KC-135 air-to-air refueler tankers and more than 200 American airmen (pilots, technical crew and avionics experts) have been deployed at Jodhpur airbase.
This is the first time in Indian military history that an American 5th generation stealth fighter jet has landed on an Indian airbase to directly participate in a full-scale Combat Tactical Exercise with the Indian Air Force. Although the F-35 has previously appeared at the Aero India Show in Bengaluru only for static and aerial demonstrations, this will be its first joint operation with Indian pilots in real combat scenarios (Dogfights & BVR Combat).
The scope of this second edition of Tarang Shakti is extremely broad and strategic at the global level. The world’s most lethal weapon systems will test their capabilities together in the western border airspace:
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Participating countries and their lethal jets: Apart from India, America (6 F-35 and 2 KC-135), France (7 Rafale, A400M and MRTT tankers), United Arab Emirates (UAE’s F-16 and Global 6000), Australia, Germany, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Greece are participating in the exercise with their surveillance and transport aircraft.
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Indian Air Force’s arsenal: The Indian Air Force is leading the exercise with its frontline fighter aircraft—Sukhoi-30MKI, Dassault Rafale, indigenous LCA Tejas, Mirage 2000, Jaguar and MiG-29.
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Observers from 32 countries: Invitations were sent to 65 countries of the world, out of which more than 32 friendly countries are present with their senior military observers and Air Chiefs to study the strategies of this historic exercise.
According to Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, the main objective of this exercise is not just to demonstrate power, but to closely understand the ‘interoperability’ and ‘low-observable’ (stealth) technology in the modern battlefield:
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Stealth detection on radar: The backbone of the Indian Air Force mainly rests on 4.5 generation Russian and French aircraft. For the first time, Indian pilots and radar controllers will get a hands-on experience of what a 5th generation stealth jet actually looks (and doesn’t look like) on the radar screen on their own indigenous ground-based radar and AWACS systems.
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Complex Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Combat: During the exercise, F-35s and Indian Rafale and Sukhoi will face-to-face and jointly conduct ‘Large Force Engagement’ (LFE) missions, which will help the Air Force in formulating precise strategies to deal with the next generation air threats.
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Big diplomatic message near China and Pakistan border: The joint flight of American F-35s, French Rafales and the Indian Air Force over the Thar Desert and a short distance from the western border underlines India’s central and strong role in the regional balance of power.
This 17-day exercise, running from September 26 to October 12, will involve intensive practice of electronic warfare, air-to-air refueling, precision strike, integration of unmanned systems and multi-domain operations. Tarang Shakti 2026 not only marks the new pinnacle of India-US defense ties, but is also a testament to the growing capability of the Indian Air Force to command the skies under any circumstances, shoulder to shoulder with the world’s most advanced air forces.