Six US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters and more than 200 American personnel have arrived in Jodhpur for their first participation in an Indian-hosted edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor confirmed the deployment. The appearance of the F-35 introduces the US fifth-generation stealth fighter to a major multinational exercise conducted by the Indian Air Force. During the exercise, the American aircraft will operate alongside Indian fighters and aircraft from participating partner nations. Tarang Shakti 2026, the second edition of the IAF’s large multinational air exercise, is scheduled from September 26 to October 12 at Air Force Station Jodhpur and other associated air bases. Eight foreign countries—Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Greece, Sri Lanka, the UAE and the United States—are participating with air assets, while 32 additional countries are attending as observers. The exercise includes French Rafales, UAE F-16s and Bangladesh’s C-130J, alongside Indian Rafales, Su-30MKIs, Tejas aircraft, Mirage-2000s, Jaguars and MiG-29s. AEW&C aircraft, transport platforms and aerial refuelling tankers are also participating. Planned missions include beyond-visual-range and within-visual-range combat, dynamic targeting, air mobility, aerial refuelling and combat search-and-rescue operations. The exercise provides an opportunity for participating air forces to conduct complex missions together and develop interoperability. For the IAF, it also provides its first opportunity to operate in an exercise environment alongside the F-35.
