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Six F-35 Lightning II jets and over 200 US airmen arrived in Jodhpur for Exercise Tarang Shakti, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said on Saturday.
American airpower has arrived in Jodhpur! Six F-35 Lightning IIs and 200+ Airmen are now in India for their first-ever participation in Exercise Tarang Shakti. Excited to see Americas premier fifth-generation fighters make its Tarang Shakti debut, flying alongside the @IAF_MCC and partners, Gor posted on X. https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2103878241148600747/photo/2 The second edition of the multinational air exercise "Tarang Shakti" began at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan on Saturday, with over 40 countries set to take part in the drills. In a post on X, the Indian Air Force welcomed participating contingents, saying, "A warm welcome to our friends from across the skies as they touch down at Jodhpur. Welcome to India. Welcome to Tarang Shakti." Announcing the 2026 edition of the exercise, the Indian Air Force said in a post on X, "Exercise Tarang Shakti is back. Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 returns as Indias premier multinational air exercise, bringing global Air Forces together for high-octane joint tactical manoeuvres. Stay tuned as elite aviators take to the skies!" The inaugural edition of the multinational exercise "Tarang Shakti" was held in 2024. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had then termed the exercise an effort to strengthen cooperation, coordination and trust with partner countries. Earlier, Gor and Lieutenant General Vikrant Suresh Deshpande, General Officer Commanding, 10 Corps, witnessed a joint firing demonstration by Indian and US Army personnel at the Mahajan Field Firing Range during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, highlighting the scale and sophistication of the bilateral training. The demonstration featured the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher, M777 ultra-light howitzer and Dhanush artillery system, along with AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, L70 air-defence guns and Swathi weapon-locating radars. The US Army fielded HIMARS and M-LIDS, bringing together diverse artillery, aviation, air-defence and surveillance capabilities in a demanding field environment. (ANI)
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