US F-35s Make Tactical Debut in India at Exercise Tarang Shakti

The Indian Air Force’s multinational exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 opened at Jodhpur in Rajasthan with a notable first: US Air Force F-35 stealth fighters flying tactical missions from an Indian air base. The exercise runs from 26 September to 12 October 2026 under the theme “Power in Partnership”.

Who is taking part

The Week reports that seven foreign countries are participating: the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Invitations went to 65 friendly nations in total. Defense News counted eight countries deploying aircraft and 32 observer nations, so the exact tally depends on how participation is defined.

The foreign aircraft include two or three US F-35s, French Rafales, UAE F-16s and a Bangladeshi C-130J transport. India is deploying Rafale, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Tejas, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI fighters, plus support aircraft.

The F-35 factor

The F-35 appeared at Aero India 2025 but has not previously flown tactical missions from an Indian airfield. India has no fifth-generation fighter of its own in service, so the exercise gives its pilots an opportunity to fly against and alongside one. Defense News notes that the Jodhpur base lies roughly 200 km from the Pakistan border.

Indian Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said the IAF runs the exercise to discover what it still needs to learn, and that the character of warfare is evolving. He pointed to China’s expanding fifth-generation fleet as part of the context for testing assumptions and improving interoperability.

From bilateral to multilateral

The Week describes Tarang Shakti as Asia’s largest air exercise, with an emphasis on a shift from bilateral to multilateral training. The first edition took place in 2024 at Sulur and Jodhpur. This year’s themes include precision weapons, unmanned systems, information dominance, space-enabled capabilities and multi-domain operations.

That scope fits a pattern of India expanding its exercise programme with Western and regional partners. The exercise follows recent bilateral drills with Japan involving the Mitsubishi F-2A, and it brings together aircraft types from several suppliers that India either operates or has considered buying.

What to watch

For the IAF, the practical gains are in tactics against low-observable aircraft, command-and-control practice with mixed fleets and logistics for operating foreign aircraft. For the visiting air forces, it is a chance to operate in the demanding heat and dust of Rajasthan.

With no fifth-generation fighter of its own, India gains a direct look at how such an aircraft behaves in a mixed formation, and the results will feed into how the IAF assesses the gap before the exercise closes on 12 October.