Six US Air Force F-35A fighter jets have arrived in India for the first time to participate in Exercise Tarang Shakti, which is scheduled to run until October 12th.

US fighter jet F-35A coming to India

Six US Air Force F-35A fighter jets and more than 200 airmen arrived in India on September 26th to participate in a large-scale exercise on Indian soil for the first time. The exercise will run from September 26th to October 12th.

The US Embassy India announced the participation of the F-35A Lightning IIs on social media. They wrote, "US Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs are participating in Exercise 'Tarang Shakti' in India for the first time. With stealth, advanced sensors, and information-sharing capabilities, the F-35s bring new training opportunities with the Indian Air Force and other partners, further strengthening mutual coordination and readiness."

Exercise conducted at Jodhpur Air Force Station

The second edition of the multinational air exercise "Tarang Shakti 2026," hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), is being held at Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan from September 26 to October 12. Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador to India, announced the start of the exercise. In a social media post, Gor wrote that US air power has arrived in Jodhpur. Six F-35 Lightning II aircraft and over 200 airmen are in India to participate in Exercise Tarang Shakti for the first time. It is exciting to see America's best fifth-generation fighter aircraft flying for the first time in Exercise Tarang Shakti.

In this mega exercise, 8 countries including India (America, France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and UAE) are directly participating with their fighter aircraft, while 32 other countries are participating as observers.

Previously, the Indian Air Force launched its largest multinational air military exercise, "Tarang Shakti," in 2024. The first edition of Tarang Shakti was conducted in two phases: the first phase at Sulur Air Base in Tamil Nadu and the second phase at Jodhpur Air Base in Rajasthan.