Indian Air Force (IAF) kicked off its Mother-of-all-Exercises, “Tarang Shakti,” with a Press Conference in New Delhi on 31 July 2023. It is the first-of-its-kind and largest multinational air exercise in India.
In fact, the last multilateral exercise in India involving more than one foreign air force was “Exercise Shiksha” in 1963 after the 1962 war with China. That one included the air forces of the USA, UK, and Australia.
For Tarang Shakti, the IAF extended an invitation to 51 friendly foreign countries. In its briefing, chaired by Air Marshal AP Singh, Vice Chief of Air Staff, the IAF explained that the focus was on enhancing mutual understanding of air power, realistic operations, strengthening military ties, and showcasing indigenous defense equipment.
Tarang Shakti was earlier planned to be held in late 2023 but had been deferred. The exercise is planned in two phases.
Phase-I At Sulur Airbase
Phase I will be held at AF Station Sulur near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in India’s southern peninsula from 06-14 Aug 24. The participants will be the air forces of Germany, France, Spain, and the UK.
Most of these countries are already engaged in Exercise ‘Pitch Black’ in Australia and would find it convenient to engage in the first phase while on their way back from Australia. Indian Navy’s MiG-29K fighters will join Phase I.
Sulur is the home base of LCA ‘Tejas’. This former Royal Navy and Indian Navy base is India’s second largest airbase after Hindon. It is one of the bases responsible for the protection of India from the seaside.
It is among the few airbases in India that hosts fighters, transports, and helicopters at one location. After gaining independence, the Indian Navy established INS Hansa at this airbase to operate Hawker Sea Hawks. After the liberation of Goa, INA Hansa was shifted to Goa’s Dabolim airfield, and Sulur was taken over by the Air Force.
The base is home to 5 Base Repair Depot and 43 Wing of the Indian Air Force. It also houses an Antonov An-32 medium transport aircraft squadron and a Mi-17 V5 transport helicopter unit. The Sarang helicopter display team’s home base is also there. Starting in July 2018, it became the base for LCA Tejas.
Phase II at Jodhpur
After a two-week break, the slightly larger Phase-II will be at AF Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from 29 Aug to 14 Sep 24. It will include Australia, Bangladesh, Singapore, Greece, UAE, and the USA, along with 18 countries as observers.
The Jodhpur Flying Club was established by Maharaja Umaid Singh in the 1920s at a small airfield near his Chittar Palace (Umaid Bhavan Palace) in Jodhpur. Over the next three decades, the airfield grew in stature and was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II.
It was upgraded in 1950 after the formation of the Royal Indian Air Force (which later became the Indian Air Force). Jodhpur was home to the IAF’s Air Force Flying College until the 1965 war.
It is one of the major airbases facing Pakistan in the desert sector and played a great operational role in both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan Wars. Over the years it had been home to many leading IAF aircraft.
It was home to the Indigenous HF-24 “Marut,” Mikoyan MiG-23 BN, MiG-27, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, HAL Dhruv, Mil Mi-17, and the first base of Indigenous LCH ‘Prachand’. The airbase has hosted many bilateral air exercises with the US Air Force (USAF), the “Garuda” series with the French Air and Space Force (FASF), and more recently, air exercises with Oman.
