Jaipur, Sept. 13 -- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is organising Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer from September 14 to 16, providing domestic manufacturers an opportunity to showcase their capabilities in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-unmanned aerial systems (CUAS), officials said. According to official information, the three-day event is designed to allow stakeholders to witness emerging drone and counter-drone technologies in operation and foster mutual learning. It will feature static displays and live demonstrations, helping identify contemporary solutions and evaluate their combat effectiveness. Key areas of focus include surveillance and reconnaissance, autonomous operations, swarm technologies and electronic warfare. The IAF said in a post on its official X account, "As part of its push for AtmanirbharBharat, the IAF is hosting Dronathon 2026 at the Pokhran Range in Jaisalmer. The event will bring together Indian industry to develop, test and showcase cutting-edge indigenous drone and counter-drone technologies." Dronathon-2026 aims to strengthen the indigenous defence ecosystem by bringing together industry experts, start-ups and innovators. Through such initiatives, the IAF remains committed to building a technologically advanced, indigenous and future-ready force capable of meeting security challenges in a rapidly changing operational environment. Meanwhile, the IAF's air exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) entered its final phase, with a biennial multinational air combat exercise coming up this month. The exercise, titled 'Veer Guardian 2026', began at Jodhpur Air Force Station on September 9 and will continue until September 22. In a post on X, the IAF said the skies over Jodhpur were set for "high-octane aerial action" as it welcomed JASDF Force F-2 fighters for Veer Guardian 2026. It added the exercise would strengthen interoperability, sharpen skills and take the India-Japan defence partnership to greater heights. In a statement on September 8, the Indian defence ministry said the IAF's LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale fighters and the Japanese F-2A fighters will participate in Veer Guardian 2026. The 14-day exercise includes advanced operational missions, mission-planning conferences, subject-matter exchanges and interactions on engineering and aerospace safety. While, the upcoming biennial multinational air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti 2026, will be held at Jodhpur from September 26 to October 12....