List of exercises of the Indian Air Force

Last updated

Indian Air Force's MiG 27 in a formation with US Air Force's F-15 in exercise Cope India 2004 F-15 MiG-27.jpg
Indian Air Force's MiG 27 in a formation with US Air Force's F-15 in exercise Cope India 2004
IAF Su-30MKIs and RAF Eurofighter Typhoons during Indradhanush 2010 exercise IAF Su-30MKIs and RAF Eurofighter Typhoons during Indradhanush exercise.jpg
IAF Su-30MKIs and RAF Eurofighter Typhoons during Indradhanush 2010 exercise

The Indian Air Force engages in multiple military exercises with foreign nations and their air forces to increase interoperability between themselves. Some are also multinational exercise. The following is a list of exercises of the Indian Air Force.:

Contents

  1. Exercise Garuda (India, France)
  2. Cope India (India, United States)
  3. SINDEX (India, Singapore)
  4. Gaganshakti (only India)
  5. Indradhanush (India, UK)
  6. Exercise Red Flag (Multinational, Host: USA)
  7. Exercise Desert Eagle (India, UAE)
  8. Exercise Eastern Bridge (India, Oman)
  9. Exercise Iron Fist (only India)
  10. Red Flag – Alaska (Multinational, Host: United States)
  11. Siam Bharat (India, Thailand)
  12. Pralay Shayam (Disaster response exercise)
  13. Exercise INDRA –bilateral (India, Russia)
  14. Exercise Blue Flag (Multinational, Host: Israel)
  15. Exercise DANX (only India)
  16. Exercise Pitch Black (Multinational, Host: Australia)
  17. Shinyuu Maitri (India, Japan)
  18. Vayushakti (only India)
  19. Exercise Desert Knight (India, France, UAE)
  20. Exercise Desert Warrior (India, Egypt)
  21. Exercise Cobra Warrior (Multinational, Host: United Kingdom)
  22. Exercise Udara Shakti (India, Malaysia)
  23. Bharat Shakti (Tri-service)
  24. Exercise Tarang Shakti (Multinational, Host: India)
  25. Exercise INIOCHOS (Multinational, Host: Greece)
  26. Exercise Desert Flag (Multinational, Host: UAE)
  27. Exercise Aakraman (only India)
  28. Exercise Tiger Claw (India, United States) (Special Forces)

The Indian Air Force's participation in multinational air exercises has evolved significantly over the decades. From early bilateral training drills to hosting full-scale multilateral exercises such as Tarang Shakti, this evolution has reflected India’s growing airpower confidence, interoperability goals, and strategic partnerships. A detailed historical narrative on this transformation has been documented. [1]

1963

NameParticipating CountryUnitsDateLocationReferences
1963
Exercise Shiksha
  • Australia,
  • India (Host),
  • United Kingdom,
  • United States
Palam AFS, India [2]

2000 – 2010

NameParticipating CountryUnitsDateLocationReferences
2003
Garuda I France Maharajpur AFS, India [3]
2004
Cope India United States16 - 27 February Gwalior AFS, India [4] [5]
Sindex ISingapore Gwalior AFS, India
2005
Garuda II France Istres Air Base, France [6]
2006
Sindex IISingapore3 - 20 January Kalaikunda AFS, India [7]
Gagan Shakti-4 - 27 September [8]
Indradhanush IUnited Kingdom2 - 13 October Gwalior AFS, India [8]
Sindex IIISingapore8 November Kalaikunda AFS, India [9]
Sindex IVSingapore8 - 22 December Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore [8]
2007
Garuda III France13 - 25 February Kalaikunda AFS, India [10]
Indradhanush IIUnited Kingdom RAF Waddington, United Kingdom [11]
Sindex VSingapore26 November - 13 December Kalaikunda AFS, India [12] [13]
2008
Red Flag United States (Host), India, France, South Korea9 - 23 August Nellis AFB, United States [14] [15] [16] [17]
Exercise Desert Eagle IUAESeptember Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE [18]
2009
Cope India United States19 - 23 October Agra AFS, India [19] [20]
Eastern Bridge IOman31 October Jamnagar AFS, India [21]
2010
Garuda IV India, France (Host), Singapore14 - 25 June Istres Air Base, France [22]
Indradhanush IIIUnited Kingdom18 October - 3 November Kalaikunda AFS, West Bengal [23]

2010 – 2020

NameParticipating CountryUnitsDateLocationReferences
2011
Eastern Bridge IIOman22 October Jamnagar AFS, India [24] [25]
2013
Iron Fist -February 2013 Pokhran, India [26] [27] [28]
2014
Garuda V France2 - 13 June Jodhpur AFS, India [29] [30] [31]
2015
Indradhanush IV United Kingdom 30 July RAF Coningsby and RAF Brize Norton, United Kingdom [32]
2016
Iron Fist -18 March Pokhran, India [33] [34]
Red Flag – Alaska 16-1 United States 28 April - May 13 Eielson AFB, United States [35] [36] [37]
Desert Eagle IIUAEMay 24 - June 3 Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE [18] [38] [39]
Siam Bharat IThailand [40]
2017
Eastern Bridge IVOman16 - 20 January Jamnagar AFS, India [41] [42] [43]
Siam Bharat IIThailand22 - 26 May Chiang Mai, Thailand [44] [45] [46]
Sri Lanka
  • Air warrior drill team
9 - 14 July Colombo, Sri Lanka [47] [48] [49]
Pralay Shayam (Disaster response exercise)-23 September Hyderabad, India [50]
Indra (tri-service)Russia19 - 29 OctoberSergeyvsky Training Ranges, Russia [51]
Blue Flag

Israel (Host), India and 6 other nations

2 - 6 NovemberUvda Air Force Base, Israel [52] [53] [54] [55]
DANX (Defence of Andaman & Nicobar Exercise)20 - 24 November Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India [56]
2018
Gaganshakti8 - 22 AprilIndia [57] [58] [59]
Pitch Black

Australia (Host), India and 10 other nations

27 July - 18 AugustDarwin Air Force Base, Australia [60] [61] [62]
Bi-lateral exerciseIndonesia20 - 22 AugustSubang Air Base, Malaysia [63]
AviaindraRussia17 - 28 SeptemberLipetsk, Russia [64] [65]
10 - 22 December Jodhpur, India
Cope India United States3 - 14 December Kalaikunda and Panagarh Air Force Stations, India [66]
Shinyuu Maitri - Bi-Lateral ExerciseJapan03-7 December AFS Agra [67]
2019
Vayushakti 1916 February Pokhran, India [68] [69]
Garud VI France1 - 12 July Mont-de-Marsan, France [70]

2020 – present

NameParticipating CountryUnitsDateLocationReferences
2021
Exercise Desert Knight 21India & France23 January Jodhpur AFS, India [71]
Desert Warrior- Joint Tactical Air ExerciseEgypt30-31 OctoberEl Berigat Air Base, Egypt [72]
2022
Pitch Black

Australia (Host), India and 15 other nations

27 July - 18 August Darwin Air Force Base, Australia [73]
Garuda VII France26 October to 12 November Jodhpur AFS, India [74] [3]
2023
Exercise Cobra Warrior 23-1
  • United Kingdom (Host),
  • Belgium,
  • Finland,
  • India,
  • Saudi Arabia,
  • United States
145 personnel 6 March to 24 March [75] [76]
2024
Exercise Desert Knight 24
  • India (Host),
  • France,
  • United Arab Emirates
23 January Arabian Sea, Indian FIS [77] [78]
Vayushakti 24>121 aircraft 17 February Pokhran, India [79] [68] [69]
Bharat Shakti (Tri-service)12 March Pokhran, India [80] [81] [82] [83]
Gaganshakti All units of IAF 1 - 10 AprilIndia [84] [85] [86]
Red Flag – Alaska 24-2
  • Germany,
  • India,
  • Netherlands,
  • Singapore,
  • United Kingdom
  • United States (Host)
4 - 14 June Eielson Air Force Base, United States [87] [88]
Pitch Black

Australia (Host), India and 18 other nations

27 July - 18 August Darwin Air Force Base, Australia [89]
Exercise Udara ShaktiMalaysia5 - 9 August Kuantan, Malaysia [90] [91]
Exercise Tarang Shakti Phase I
  • India (Host),
  • France,
  • Germany,
  • Spain,
  • United Kingdom.

Phase II

  • India (Host),
  • Australia
  • Bangladesh,
  • Greek,
  • Singapore,
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
Phase I– 6 - 14 August

Phase II– 29 August to 14 September

[92] [93]
Exercise Eastern Bridge VIIOmanIndia: MiG-29, Jaguar, C-17

Oman: F-16, Hawk

11 - 22 September RAFO Masirah, Oman [94] [95]
Joint Military TrainingSingaporeIndia: Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, Tejas

Singapore: F-16, F-15, G-550 AEW&C, C-130

21 October - 9 December Kalaikunda AFS, India [96]
2025
Exercise INIOCHOS-25Greece (Host), India and 13 other nations31 March - 11 April Andravida Air Base, Greece [97]
Exercise Desert Flag-10UAE (Host), India and 10 other nations21 April - 8 May Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE [98] [99]
Exercise Aakraman IndiaLate April [100]
Exercise Tiger ClawUnited States(Special Forces exercise)26 May - 10 June Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC), Chandigarh Air Force Station [101] [102]

See also

References

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