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India has further strengthened its position in international defence cooperation through the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026.
Hosted by the Indian Air Force between September 26 and October 12, the multinational air exercise brought together air forces from seven friendly foreign countries.
The participating countries included:
In addition, 32 countries participated as observers.
The exercise was conducted at Air Force Station Jodhpur and provided an opportunity for participating air forces to exchange operational experience and improve interoperability.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the participants on October 10.
He highlighted the importance of defence self-reliance and international cooperation, stressing that future military strength would depend on the speed of sensing, understanding, deciding and acting.
Why are multinational air exercises important?
Modern air warfare is no longer restricted to individual fighter aircraft engaging in combat.
It involves an interconnected network of:
Exercises such as Tarang Shakti allow participating countries to understand each other's operating procedures and improve coordination.
India's strategic objectives
India has several objectives through such exercises.
First, it wants to improve the operational capabilities of its Air Force.
Second, it wants to establish stronger defence relationships with friendly countries.
Third, it wants to demonstrate that India can host large multinational military exercises.
Finally, such engagements create opportunities for defence technology cooperation and professional exchanges.
The Indo-Pacific dimension
The participation of Australia, the United States and other friendly countries is particularly important because the Indo-Pacific has become a major area of international strategic competition.
China's expanding military capabilities and increasing maritime presence have encouraged regional countries to strengthen their defence partnerships.
However, India continues to follow its own strategic approach and does not automatically align itself with any military bloc.
The bigger picture
Tarang Shakti demonstrates that India's defence policy is increasingly based on two complementary pillars: military self-reliance and international strategic partnerships.