India to Display Indigenous Defence Products to 40 Air Forces at Tarang Shakti 2026

NEW DELHI — India is set to exhibit its indigenous defence manufacturing to delegations from 40 air forces during the Tarang Shakti 2026 exercise, a joint air drill that began in Jodhpur in September. The showcase is part of a broader effort to highlight domestic production capabilities as the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducts its largest multinational exercise to date.

Tarang Shakti 2026 to feature exhibition of domestic defence products

The exercise, which has been running since the start of September, brings together air forces from seven partner nations and a host of other international delegations. According to reports from Defence.in, the IAF will use the event to display a range of indigenous aircraft, drones, weapons systems and support equipment to the visiting air forces.

Defence.newsd.in notes that the exhibition will be held alongside the operational phase of the drill, allowing participants to observe live demonstrations of Indian‑made platforms in a realistic operational environment. The event is scheduled to run through the first week of the exercise, with a series of briefings and live displays planned for the airfield and adjacent exhibition centre.

Context and objectives

Tarang Shakti 2026 is the latest iteration of a series of joint air exercises that began in 2015. The 2026 edition is the first to feature a dedicated showcase of domestic defence manufacturing, a move that aligns with the Ministry of Defence’s “Make in India” strategy for the armed forces. The exercise aims to test interoperability between the IAF and partner air forces while providing a platform for India to demonstrate its growing self‑reliance in defence production.

The Times of India reported that the IAF’s operational phase in Jodhpur began with a series of aerial manoeuvres and joint sorties. The exercise has attracted delegations from 40 air forces, including those from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, and several Southeast Asian nations. The presence of such a wide range of air forces underscores the exercise’s role as a forum for strategic dialogue and capability sharing.

Showcasing indigenous platforms

During the exhibition, the IAF will display a portfolio of aircraft and systems that have been developed and manufactured in India. These include the HAL Tejas light combat aircraft, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) variants, and a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) produced by Indian companies. In addition, the display will feature ground support equipment, avionics suites, and munitions that are manufactured under the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) and the Defence Production Policy (DPP).

According to an independent report by Pragativadi, the exhibition will also highlight recent advances in Indian aerospace technology, such as the integration of indigenous radar systems and electronic warfare suites into existing platforms. The IAF has said that the showcase will provide a practical demonstration of how domestic production can meet the operational needs of modern air forces.

International participation and implications

While the exercise is primarily a training and interoperability platform, the inclusion of a manufacturing showcase signals India’s intent to position itself as a supplier of advanced defence equipment to other air forces. The event is expected to attract interest from countries looking to diversify their procurement sources and to explore joint development opportunities with Indian firms.

Officials from the Ministry of Defence have not released a formal statement on the exhibition, but the exercise’s schedule and the list of participating air forces are available on the IAF’s official website. The event is part of a broader strategy to promote indigenous defence production and to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

Operational highlights of Tarang Shakti 2026

In addition to the exhibition, the exercise will feature a series of joint sorties, aerial refuelling operations, and air defence drills. The IAF has conducted a series of live demonstrations of its air combat capabilities, including simulated air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The exercise also includes a joint air‑space management exercise that tests the ability of participating forces to coordinate in a shared airspace.

Defence.in reports that the exercise will conclude with a joint fly‑past and a debriefing session that will assess the performance of the participating air forces and the effectiveness of the indigenous platforms showcased.