New Delhi, July 19 -- The Indian Air Force (IAF) will begin its participation in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Darwin on Monday. Scheduled from July 20 to August 7, the biennial exercise is the RAAF's premier multinational air combat exercise, according to a Ministry of Defence (MoD) statement.

The exercise derives its name from its emphasis on night flying over the vast, sparsely populated regions of northern Australia. Now in its 45th year, this edition will feature one of the largest contingents of participating air forces, bringing together military personnel for complex large force employment missions and multinational air combat operations.

The IAF contingent comprises pilots, engineers, t...