Raksha Mantri Addresses Participants of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the participants of the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur on October 10, 2026. Hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from 26 September to 12 October 2026, the multinational air exercise brought together air forces from seven Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) including Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America along with 32 observer nations.
Congratulating the IAF and all organisations and personnel involved in the successful conduct of the exercise, the Raksha Mantri welcomed the participating nations and appreciated their contribution to strengthening professional understanding and operational cooperation.
Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh observed that modern warfare was undergoing a profound transformation, extending beyond the traditional domains of land, sea and air to encompass space, cyber, the electromagnetic spectrum and the information domain. He highlighted the growing influence of unmanned systems, drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and long-range precision weapons in shaping contemporary military operations.
Describing the spirit of the exercise, Rajnath Singh said, “Different nations. Different aircraft. Different experiences. But one sky. That is the message of Tarang Shakti.”
Beyond flying operations, the exercise featured professional engagements, industrial visits and cultural interactions, including yoga sessions, heritage visits and an International Night celebrating the traditions of participating nations. Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani, Chief of the Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, other dignitaries, officials of the Ministry of Defence and participating countries attended the event.(UPDATED ON 10TH OCT 2026)
