EXERCISE TARANG SHAKTI 2026: POWER IN PARTNERSHIP, STRENGTH IN SELF-RELIANCE

1. At a Glance

• Tarang Shakti is the Indian Air Force's (IAF) multinational air exercise. India hosts it, and its first edition in 2024 is described as the IAF's first and largest exercise of this kind [1][4].
• The 2nd edition (2026) was held at Air Force Station Jodhpur. Its theme was "Power in Partnership". Seven Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) took part and 32 nations came as observers [1].
• It brings together three strands examiners like to test: defence diplomacy, Aatmanirbharta (indigenous platforms Tejas and Prachand flew in it) and lessons on air power after Operation Sindoor [1][2].
• It ties to GS-III (security, indigenisation) and GS-II (India's defence partnerships with the US, France, Australia, UAE and its neighbours) [1].

2. Why in the News

• Tarang Shakti 2026 ran from 26 September to 12 October 2026 at AFS Jodhpur [1].
• On 10 October 2026, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed the participants at Jodhpur. He stressed self-reliance in defence and international cooperation [2].
• PIB's closing release came out on 12 October 2026. It placed the exercise alongside the 94th Anniversary of the IAF [1].

3. Background & Evolution

• Origin: The IAF widened its scope by inviting several nations to a new exercise, Tarang Shakti. It replaced Ex Garuda, which had been a bilateral exercise with France [7].
• 2024 – 1st edition, held in two phases:
• Phase I was held in Tamil Nadu at Sulur (and Thanjavur, per the India–France brief). Participants included Germany, France, Spain and the UK [7][8].
• The two MEA briefs give different dates for Phase I: 6–14 August 2024 in one and 8–13 August 2024 in the other [7][8]. Treat the exact dates as unverified.
• The German Air Force chief, Lt Gen Ingo Gerhartz, attended Phase I [8].
• Phase II was held at Jodhpur with 7 participating nations and 21 observer countries [4].
• On 11 September 2024, an Air Domain Awareness symposium drew more than 50 delegates from 27 nations [5].

• The Indian Defence Aviation Exposition-II (IDAX) was held at Jodhpur alongside the exercise [6].

• 2024 – IAF's 92nd anniversary: It was marked at AFS Tambaram, Chennai, with a display of air power and Aatmanirbharta [9].

• 2026 – 2nd edition: Held at Jodhpur. It had more observers (32) than Phase II of 2024 (21) [1][4].

4. Core Static Facts

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical / Strategic

• Four Quad/Western partners (USA, Australia, France, Germany), one Gulf partner (UAE) and two South Asian neighbours (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) took part. This reflects India's bid to be a "key contributor to regional and global security" [1].
• 32 observer nations signals growing international interest in India's operational capability [1].
• Moving from bilateral Garuda to multilateral Tarang Shakti shows India convening air forces rather than only joining other countries' exercises [7].

Security / Operational

• The exercise focuses on interoperability: complex joint missions and exchanging operational philosophies and procedures [1].
• PIB links its relevance to Operation Sindoor, which it says showed "precise, calibrated and effective" use of air power and the value of credible deterrence and integrated planning [1].
• Having refuellers and strategic airlifters (MRTT, KC-30A, A400M, C-130J) allows long-range, composite strike packages to be practised [3].

Economic / Defence-Industrial

• Tejas and Prachand showcase indigenous design, engineering and manufacturing [1].
• Industrial tours let partner nations see India's defence-industrial base, which can support defence exports under Aatmanirbhar Bharat [1].
• In 2024, the IDAX exposition ran alongside the exercise, combining military engagement with industry promotion [6].

Scientific / Technological

• Indian 4th-generation-class platforms flew alongside a 5th-generation F-35, offering exposure to advanced tactics and network operations [1][3].
• The 2024 Air Domain Awareness symposium dealt with surveillance and sensor-integration themes [5].

Social / Soft Power

• Yoga, heritage visits and the International Night served as cultural diplomacy [1].
• The Open Day (more than 20,000 visitors) strengthened ties between citizens and the armed forces and encouraged young people towards careers in aviation [1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 2026: Exercise Vayushakti-2026, a firepower demonstration, was held at Pokhran Firing Range [10].
• Late September 2026: PIB curtain-raiser "Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026: Power in Partnership", which lists the foreign aircraft [3].
• 26 September 2026: Tarang Shakti 2026 began at AFS Jodhpur [1].
• 10 October 2026: Raksha Mantri addressed the participants [2].
• 12 October 2026: The exercise ended. PIB released its closing note during the IAF's 94th anniversary [1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Tarang Shakti is hosted by the Indian Air Force, not the Navy or Army [1].
• 2nd edition: 2026. 1st edition: 2024 [1].
• The 2026 venue was AFS Jodhpur, Rajasthan [1].
• The 2026 theme was "Power in Partnership" [1].
• 7 FFCs participated in 2026: Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, UAE, USA [1].
• 32 observer nations attended in 2026 [1].
• Phase II of 2024 had 7 participants and 21 observers [4].
• Tarang Shakti replaced Ex Garuda, the earlier IAF–French Air and Space Force bilateral exercise [7].
• Phase I of 2024 was held at Sulur, Tamil Nadu [7][8].
• The indigenous platforms fielded were LCA Tejas (fixed-wing) and LCH Prachand (attack helicopter) [1].
• The F-35 Lightning II was among the foreign aircraft in 2026 [3].
• The 2026 Open Day drew more than 20,000 visitors [1].
• 2026 is the IAF's 94th anniversary. The 92nd (2024) was celebrated at Tambaram, Chennai [1][9].
• The Air Domain Awareness symposium was held on 11 September 2024, with 27 nations represented [5].

8. What the Showcase Does Not Show: An Air Force Short of Fighters

• The IAF has far fewer fighter squadrons than it is allowed to have
• A squadron is a unit of about 20 aircraft [11].
• In December 2024 the IAF had 31 active fighter squadrons. The government has approved 42 [11].

• That gap of 11 squadrons works out to roughly 220 missing fighters.

• The gap will grow before it shrinks

• MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-27 aircraft are close to retirement [11].
• Each squadron that retires before a replacement arrives makes the gap wider.

• The Standing Committee on Defence (2024) said the IAF needs at least 180 fighter aircraft just to cope with present conditions [11].

• The squadron problem is decades old

• In 2016-17 the Committee noted 33 squadrons against 42 authorised, and the IAF said it needed 45 [11].

• So the number has kept falling, even through years of indigenisation drives.

• Why this matters for reading the exercise

• A 15-nation flying display shows that the IAF can work well with other air forces. It does not show how many aircraft India can put in the air during a long war.
• A Mains answer that praises Tarang Shakti should also mention the squadron gap. Otherwise it is one-sided.

9. Why the Tejas Story Is Still a Story of Delay

• Tejas at Jodhpur stands for a promise that has not yet been kept on time
• The 2021 contract for 83 LCA Tejas planned for HAL to deliver the first 3 aircraft in the third year, then 16 a year for five years [14].
• That schedule slipped. A new contract for 97 LCA Mk1A (68 fighters, 29 twin-seat trainers) was signed in September 2025 for ₹62,370 crore [12].

• Deliveries under the new order start only in 2027-28 and run for six years [12].

• The causes are old and well known

• In 2015 the government told Parliament why LCA was delayed. The reasons included critical parts not being available, advanced countries refusing to share technology, and HAL not having enough production facilities [18].

• HAL's third Mk1A production line, at Nashik, can make only 8 aircraft a year [15].

• What this means

• The aircraft is real and it flies. The weak point is how many HAL can build each year, not the design itself.
• A fighter that reaches squadrons years late does not help close the gap described above.

10. Self-Reliance and Partnership Pull in Opposite Directions

• India's showcase indigenous fighter still flies on an American engine
• HAL signed with General Electric (USA) on 7 November 2025 for 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines for the 97 Mk1A jets [13].
• Those engines arrive between 2027 and 2032 [13].

• So Tejas production depends on a foreign supplier keeping to its schedule. That is the same "denial of technology" risk the 2015 statement warned about [18].

• India still buys most of its high-end weapons from abroad

• India was the world's second-largest arms importer in 2020–2024 [11].

• Five of the seven 2026 participants are also India's arms suppliers or co-producers: the USA, France, Germany, Australia and the UAE [1]. The exercise makes those ties look like equal partnerships. In equipment, India mostly buys from them.

• Partnership can also be the road to self-reliance

• For the planned 114 Rafale jets, most aircraft are to be built in India [11].
• This is a different model from Tejas. Instead of designing everything at home, India builds a proven foreign design locally and learns the manufacturing.

• The theme "Power in Partnership" and the PIB title's "Strength in Self-Reliance" fit together only if partnerships bring technology and production into India, not just shared flying hours.

• The fifth-generation gap

• The US F-35 (a fifth-generation fighter: stealthy and heavily networked) flew at Jodhpur [3].
• India's own fifth-generation aircraft from DRDO is expected only in the next decade [11]. Until then the IAF can train alongside such jets but has none of its own.

11. Why the Exercise Has Not Yet Turned Into Fighter Sales

• Exports are rising, but not in fighter jets
• India's defence exports reached a record ₹23,622 crore in 2024-25, up 12.04% [16].
• The private sector made ₹15,233 crore of that and DPSUs (Defence Public Sector Undertakings, the government-owned defence firms like HAL) made ₹8,389 crore [16].

• The goods sold include bulletproof jackets, patrol boats, helicopters, radars and torpedoes, going to about 80 countries [16].

• Tejas is still only "in discussion" for export

• The government's November 2025 note says Tejas is on the path to operational maturity and export discussions. It does not report any signed sale [17].

• Why the industrial tours cannot sell jets yet

• A foreign buyer wants a firm delivery date. HAL's lines are already filled by the IAF's own order until the early 2030s [12][15].
• Engines for those jets are themselves imported on a fixed schedule [13].
• So the industrial tours in the note's Section 5 can build interest. But India cannot promise a foreign air force a fighter soon without delaying jets for its own squadrons.

12. The Strongest Objection: Spectacle Over Strength?

• The objection
• Critics can say the IAF is hosting a large international show while it is 11 squadrons short [11].

• On this view, money and attention should go to getting aircraft into squadrons, not to hosting other air forces.

• What the objection gets right

• Only 29% of defence spending in 2026-27 goes to capital outlay (money for new equipment). Salaries and pensions take 44% [11].
• With so little left for new aircraft, every rupee and every flying hour has to be justified.

• No official cost figure for hosting Tarang Shakti is published in the sources used here. That makes it hard to judge whether the exercise is good value.

• Why the objection is only partly right

• Hosting is not a substitute for aircraft. It develops interoperability: the ability of different air forces to plan and fly missions together using shared procedures [1].
• PIB links Operation Sindoor's lessons to integrated planning and credible deterrence [1]. Coalition practice adds to both.

• A short fleet makes partners more useful. Refuellers and transport aircraft from partners (KC-30A, A400M, MRTT) can extend a small force's range in a crisis [3].

• A balanced verdict for Mains

• The exercise is a sound diplomatic and training investment.
• It becomes empty showmanship only if it is used to hide the squadron and production gaps instead of being paired with fixing them.

13. Who Must Do What Next

• MoD and HAL: deliver the 97 Mk1A jets on the new schedule
• Deliveries are due to start in 2027-28 [12]. One more slip, like the one under the 2021 contract [14], would push the squadron gap deeper while MiGs retire [11].

• The Nashik third line (8 per year) shows capacity can be added [15]. Bringing in private industry is another route, since it already earns most of India's defence export income [16].

• MoD: line up engine and airframe timelines

• The GE engines (2027–2032) and the Mk1A airframes (from 2027-28) must arrive in step [12][13]. A late engine leaves a finished airframe unable to fly.

• MoD: use the Rafale model as a template for partnership

• Building most of the 114 Rafales in India [11] is the kind of deal where "partnership" actually creates domestic production skills.

• Future partner deals, including with Tarang Shakti participants, can be judged by the same test: does the deal build anything in India?

• Parliament: keep tracking the gap

• The Standing Committee on Defence has recorded the squadron shortfall from 2016-17 to 2024 [11]. Its continued scrutiny is the main public check on whether showcases are matched by deliveries.

14. Anchors for Answers

• Data: IAF had 31 active fighter squadrons against 42 authorised (December 2024); each squadron has about 20 aircraft [11]
• Data: Defence exports hit a record ₹23,622 crore in 2024-25; ₹15,233 crore came from the private sector [16]
• Data: In 2026-27, 29% of defence spending goes to capital outlay and 44% to salaries and pensions [11]
• Data: India was the world's second-largest arms importer in 2020–2024 [11]
• Report/Committee: Standing Committee on Defence (2024): the IAF needs at least 180 fighter aircraft under present circumstances [11]
• Comparison: 114 Rafale jets, most to be built in India (partnership used to build domestic production) vs Tejas (homegrown design that still depends on GE F404 engines) [11][13]
• Scheme: 97 LCA Mk1A contract with HAL (₹62,370 crore, September 2025; deliveries from 2027-28), the core of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in combat aviation [12]

15. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Security challenges and their management; Indigenisation of technology; Defence modernisation.
• GS-II: India and its neighbourhood (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka); Bilateral, regional and global groupings affecting India's interests (Quad partners, France, UAE).
• Essay / GS-IV (marginal): Self-reliance and partnership as complementary goals.
• Possible question stems: 1. "Multinational military exercises hosted by India mark a shift from participant to convenor in defence diplomacy." Discuss with reference to Exercise Tarang Shakti. (GS-II, 15 marks) 2. Examine how exercises like Tarang Shakti help both interoperability and defence-export promotion under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. (GS-III, 10 marks) 3. In light of recent operational experience, analyse the role of air power in calibrated deterrence and the importance of indigenous aerospace platforms. (GS-III, 15 marks)

16. Related Topics to Study Next

• Operation Sindoor: PIB explicitly names it as the operational context for the exercise [1].
• Ex Garuda (India–France): the bilateral exercise Tarang Shakti replaced [7].
• Ex Vayushakti: the IAF's national firepower demonstration at Pokhran [10].
• Ex Red Flag (USA) and Udara Shakti (Malaysia): exercises abroad where the IAF participates rather than hosts. They appeared in the same searches but were not used as sources.
• LCA Tejas and LCH Prachand programmes: the indigenous platforms on show [1].
• Defence exports and Positive Indigenisation Lists: the industrial side of Aatmanirbharta.
• Quad and Indo-Pacific security architecture: the US and Australia were among the participants [1].
• Theatre commands and jointness: the "integrated planning" lessons PIB highlights [1].

17. NCERT Concepts to Revise

• Self-reliance (Economy): Aatmanirbharta is the note's central theme: Tejas, Prachand and the tension with imported engines and weapons.
• Standing committee (Polity): The Standing Committee on Defence recorded the fighter-squadron shortfall and is the note's main parliamentary check.
• Demand for grants (Economy): Defence budget figures such as capital outlay versus salaries come from the Demand for Grants analysis.
• Export promotion (Economy): Industrial tours and record defence exports link the exercise to promoting India's defence sales abroad.
• Public sector (Economy): HAL and other DPSUs are government-owned firms whose production capacity limits Tejas deliveries.
• Private sector (Economy): Private firms earned most of India's record defence exports and are a route to more capacity.

18. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Tarang Shakti vs Tarang 2024: a separate PIB release titled "Tarang 2024" exists and is unrelated. Do not confuse the two. Also distinguish Vayushakti (a national firepower demonstration) from Tarang Shakti (multinational).
• Venue: in 2024, Phase I was at Sulur in Tamil Nadu and Phase II at Jodhpur [4][7]. The 2026 edition was held at Jodhpur only [1].
• Observer count: 21 in Phase II of 2024 versus 32 in 2026 [1][4]. The curtain-raiser did not give a number [3].
• Participant list: the UK and Spain took part in 2024 Phase I [8] but are not among the 2026 FFCs. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the UAE are in the 2026 list [1].
• Anniversary maths: 2026 is the 94th anniversary, not the 93rd or 95th [1].