Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address participants of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur on October 10, emphasising India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence, technological innovation and international co-operation.
The multinational air exercise, hosted by the Indian Air Force from September 26 to October 12, brings together air forces from seven friendly foreign countries — Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States — along with 32 observer nations.
During his address, the Defence Minister will highlight the changing nature of modern warfare, where artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, cyber capabilities, electronic warfare and precision weapons are increasingly shaping military operations. He will underline that future military strength will depend not merely on the number of platforms but on the speed of sensing, decision-making and execution.
Rajnath Singh will also stress the importance of Atmanirbharta in defence, highlighting India’s efforts to strengthen indigenous design, development and manufacturing capabilities. He will refer to key programmes and platforms, including the Tejas fighter aircraft, Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand and Light Utility Helicopter, the Akash air defence system, advanced radars and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
Emphasising that self-reliance does not mean isolation, the Defence Minister will call for greater collaboration with trusted international partners in research, co-development, co-production, maintenance, training and advanced aerospace technologies.
He will highlight Exercise Tarang Shakti as an important platform for enhancing interoperability, exchanging operational knowledge and building mutual trust among participating air forces. The exercise will also provide opportunities to improve joint mission planning, training procedures and coordination between different aircraft, technologies and operational doctrines.
“Different nations, different aircraft, different experiences, but one sky. That is the message of Tarang Shakti,” the Defence Minister will emphasise, underscoring the importance of professional cooperation and shared learning.
The second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti builds on the inaugural exercise held in 2024 and reflects India’s efforts to strengthen international defence partnerships while advancing indigenous aerospace capabilities. The participation of platforms such as the Tejas fighter aircraft and Prachand light combat helicopter will also showcase India’s progress in domestic defence manufacturing.
Through the exercise, India aims to reinforce its commitment to operational preparedness, technological advancement, self-reliance and constructive international cooperation in addressing emerging security challenges.
