Introduction
Out of 24 exercises that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been involved in, which is an indication of it being highly in demand for exercising with by its counterparts in many countries, Tarang Shakti (power of waves) is the sixth multinational exercise is considered as a landmark event, in Indian military history and was the largest international air exercise ever conducted in India. Invitations were extended to 51 countries and there were nearly thirty participants.
The first phase of ‘Tarang Shakti’ was held at Sulur in Tamil Nadu from 06 to 14 August, and the second phase was held from 29 August 14 September, 2024 at Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Terming this exercise as a landmark event, Air Marshal A P Singh, the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS), told the media that it was the largest international air exercise ever conducted in India and with invitations extended to 51 countries.
The Exercise
Air Marshal Singh added, “Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti aims to strengthen strategic relationship with our friends from international community. Complex missions were planned to enhance our mutual understanding of air operations, air power application and also practising multiple combat scenarios in realistic environment.
It was also an excellent opportunity for all participating countries to share their best practices with each other. The first part which was conducted in Sulur area in South India, saw four countries — Germany, France, Spain and the UK — with their assets. Phase II which was held at Jodhpur saw the participation from Australia, Bangladesh, Greece, Singapore, the UAE and the US with their assets. Along with that these countries there were 18 countries which sent observers and not their air assets,”
Participating in Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ were the Rafale from France, Typhoon from Germany, F-18 from Australia and F-16 from Greece, amongst others. From India, the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Mirage 2000, Rafale, Light Combat Helicopters Prachand, Dhruv and Rudra took part showcasing India’s indigenous products. Each phase of the exercise includes 70–80 aircraft from both the Indian Air Force (IAF) and participating forces. The IAF fielded over 40 aircraft each in both phases. The Indian Navy participated in Phase-1 with its Mig-29K carrier borne fighters.
Air Marshal Singh also said, “One of the main objectives of this exercise is to showcase the booming indigenous defence ecosystem in India and also to highlight our resolve towards atmanirbharta (self-reliance).”
Asked if Russia was sent an invitation for the exercise, he said, “Russia was there, but, I think, because of their ongoing conflict they have not been able to take part.” On a query if Israel was invited, a senior official present during the press conference said, a “communication” had taken place with its Defence Attache, and it was indicated that “it was not the right time”.
Air Marshal Singh further said, “Our endeavour will be to demonstrate our energy and dynamism during this exercise, learn from each other, learn operating procedures, tactics, strategies. We also aim to strengthen our cultural and diplomatic relations with these countries. We look forward to the exercise to foster deeper cooperation and understanding among the participating forces,”
India’s Chief of Defence Staff and Air Chiefs of several countries also participated in the exercise which also included a defence exhibition. Also participating were the Defence Research and Development Organization, Defence PSUs, Aviation Iindustry, CSR labs, and leading startups.
Conclusion
According to Group Captain (Dr) DK Pandey (Retd), Senior Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies, the significant features of the exercise are benchmarking to improve individual and joint operational capabilities. The exercise involved sharing best practices and procedures among the participating Air Forces. In addition, there was a strong focus on airborne networking, a crucial factor that defines the capacity of aerial networking and guarantees connectivity and data exchange.
Ex-Tarang Shakti is committed to ensuring the success of strategies and procedures through real-time simulation, demonstrating its commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability. Integration of Sensor Data is implemented to support the concept of Enhanced Situational Awareness.
