Jodhpur, Oct. 10 -- In today's battle arena that involves air, space, cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum, Tarang Shakti 2026 of the Indian Air Force is proving what the true test of air power is: not only the advanced combat platforms, but also the capability of diverse forces to work in coordination.

According to Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, the Indian Air Force's exercise is all about interoperability, technology integration, and operational learning, for which diversity in platforms, communication and tactics becomes an opportunity to improve combat readiness. "Every exercise allows us to learn from each other," the air chief said. Also, emphasised the significance of the exchange of operational experiences and gaining an understanding of the capabilities of partner nations.

The exercise is being conducted at Jodhpur Air Force Station from September 26 to October 12 under the theme of "Power in Partnership" and includes participation of the Indian Air Force and air forces of seven more nations - Australia, the United States, France, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Another 32 nations participate in the exercise as observers.

American F-35 Lightning II, the French Rafale, the F-16 from the UAE, the C-130J from Australia and Bangladesh, the A330 MRTT Phenix from France and the A400M Atlas from Germany have taken part in this exercise. However, the main importance of this event is that modern air operations need secure communication, exchange of intelligence and coordination, especially amid the current global volatility. Even advanced combat aircraft can face problems because of the lack of information flow or coordination of efforts.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh put the exercise in the context of the overall transformation in warfare that is seeing the old divisions between land, maritime and air battles giving way to a seamless battlespace made possible through technological developments.bTechnological innovations like AI, electronic warfare, cyberspace, and advanced weaponry systems are bringing new dynamics into military operations as far as threat perceptions, intelligence gathering and decision-making are concerned.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.