- India’s first, fastest & fiercest responder to unleash full-spectrum air power on February 27
- Rafale, Tejas, Sukhoi-30MKI, Apache, Chinook & C-17 to execute day–dusk–night combat drills
- Akash, SpyDer, SRLM & Counter-UAS systems to showcase layered air defence punch
- ‘Achook, Abhedya aur Sateek’—IAF reaffirms air dominance, precision strike & HADR readiness
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, FEB 11
The desert skies of Pokhran Air to Ground Range, Jaisalmer, will thunder to the sound of supersonic resolve as the Indian Air Force (IAF) stages Exercise Vayushakti-26 on 27 February 2026—a high-voltage demonstration of India’s combat readiness and technological edge.
Positioning itself as the nation’s “first, fastest & fiercest responder,” the IAF will showcase its capacity to rapidly punish the enemy, dominate the operational environment from the outset, and decisively influence the course of operations—transforming tactical strikes into strategic outcomes.
Firepower Across the Horizon
Vayushakti-26 will see full-spectrum operations by a formidable array of fighter, transport and helicopter platforms, including:
Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-29, Hawk, C-130J, C-295, C-17, Chetak, ALH Mk-IV, Mi-17 IV, LCH, Apache, Chinook and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
The exercise will feature coordinated air-to-ground strikes, heavy-lift insertion, precision targeting and integrated combat manoeuvres across day, dusk and night phases—demonstrating seamless multi-platform synergy.
Advanced weapon systems such as Short-Range Loitering Munitions (SRLM), Akash surface-to-air missiles, SpyDer air defence systems and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) will underscore India’s layered air defence architecture and evolving battlefield capabilities.
From Tactical Action to Strategic Effect
Vayushakti-26 will also spotlight the success of Operation Sindoor, reaffirming the IAF’s primacy in airspace dominance, long-range precision targeting and multi-domain operations. The exercise highlights the increasing role of indigenous platforms and systems, aligned with the national vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Guided by its core values—“Achook, Abhedya aur Sateek” (Accurate, Impenetrable and Precise)—the IAF aims to reassure the nation of its readiness to deliver decisive effects in an increasingly complex security environment.
Combat Power & Compassion
Beyond kinetic capability, the exercise will also demonstrate how the IAF plays a crucial role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Management (HADR)—providing rapid airlift, rescue and evacuation from conflict zones and disaster-stricken areas within India and abroad.
From heavy-lift C-17 deployments in international relief missions to helicopter-based rescue operations in remote terrains, the IAF’s versatility will be on full display—underscoring its dual mandate of warfighting and humanitarian response.
A Skyward Signal
Against the vast canvas of the Thar Desert—long associated with India’s strategic testing and operational preparedness—Exercise Vayushakti-26 is more than a spectacle. It is a calibrated signal of deterrence, resilience and readiness.
As jets streak across the desert sky in synchronised formations and precision munitions strike designated targets with clockwork accuracy, the message is unmistakable: India’s guardians of the skies stand alert, agile and unyielding.
