📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sabrina Full
Defence
US F-35 to Join Multinational ‘Tarang Shakti’ Exercise at Jodhpur Air Base
✍️ Amar Ujala · Jodhpur
🗓 23 Sep 2026, 05:15 PM
👁 18
The Indian Air Force will host the second edition of the Tarang Shakti multinational air exercise from Sept 26 to Oct 12 at Jodhpur, featuring the US F‑35 and aircraft from seven nations.
Jodhpur Air Force Station will be the venue for the second phase of the Tarang Shakti air exercise, scheduled to run from 26 September to 12 October. The drill is a joint initiative of the Indian Air Force and partner air forces, aimed at enhancing interoperability and tactical coordination among participating nations.
The exercise will see the United States field its fifth‑generation F‑35 fighter jet alongside aircraft contributed by six other countries. While the exact roster of foreign air forces has not been disclosed, officials confirmed that the United States is a key participant, underscoring the strategic depth of the exercise.
Tarang Shakti provides a platform for pilots and ground crews to conduct joint sorties, air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground missions, and exchange best practices in modern warfare. Defence analysts view the inclusion of the stealthy F‑35 as a significant boost to the realism and technical challenge of the drills.
For India, hosting the exercise at Jodhpur—an airbase with a long history of frontline operations—reinforces its role as a hub for regional security cooperation and showcases the IAF’s growing capability to integrate advanced platforms with allied forces.
The exercise will see the United States field its fifth‑generation F‑35 fighter jet alongside aircraft contributed by six other countries. While the exact roster of foreign air forces has not been disclosed, officials confirmed that the United States is a key participant, underscoring the strategic depth of the exercise.
Tarang Shakti provides a platform for pilots and ground crews to conduct joint sorties, air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground missions, and exchange best practices in modern warfare. Defence analysts view the inclusion of the stealthy F‑35 as a significant boost to the realism and technical challenge of the drills.
For India, hosting the exercise at Jodhpur—an airbase with a long history of frontline operations—reinforces its role as a hub for regional security cooperation and showcases the IAF’s growing capability to integrate advanced platforms with allied forces.