The US Air Force is expected to deploy its F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft for Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, marking what would be the stealth fighter’s first participation in a military exercise in India.
The multinational air exercise is scheduled to take place at Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan from September 26 to October 12. Defence sources said the US could deploy two to three F-35s for the exercise.
The F-35 has visited India before, having participated in the Aero India air show in Bengaluru in 2023 and 2025. However, its participation in Tarang Shakti would be different, as the aircraft would be operating alongside fighter and support assets in a multinational military exercise.
More than 40 countries are expected to be involved in Tarang Shakti 2026. Nine foreign air forces, including those of the United States, France, Germany, Greece, the UAE, Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, are expected to participate, while around 30 other countries are set to attend as observers.
The exercise will feature several advanced fighter platforms. France is expected to bring its Rafale, while the UAE is expected to participate with F-16s. The Indian Air Force will deploy major frontline and support platforms, including the Rafale, Su-30MKI, airborne early warning and control aircraft, transport aircraft and air-to-air refuelling tankers.
The timing is also notable. Tarang Shakti will follow the India-Japan Veer Guardian 2026 exercise at Jodhpur, which has featured the Japanese F-2A fighter in India for the first time.
For the Indian Air Force, the presence of the F-35 could provide an opportunity to train alongside a fifth-generation aircraft and gain experience in a multinational operating environment involving different platforms and tactics.
The IAF has announced Tarang Shakti 2026, but official confirmation of F-35 participation is still awaited.
For aviation enthusiasts, the biggest question will be:
How will the F-35’s low-observable design, sensors and network-centric capabilities interact with India’s Rafale, Su-30MKI, AEW&C and air-refuelling platforms in a multinational exercise?
Tarang Shakti is therefore more than a gathering of fighter jets. It offers an opportunity for air forces to learn how different platforms, doctrines and tactics work together in a complex air environment.
And for India, seeing the F-35 participate in an actual military exercise is a significant moment in the country’s evolving air-power engagement with the world.
