US F-35A fighters deploy to India for first time to join Exercise Tarang Shakti

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Six U.S. Air Force F-35A fighters and more than 200 Airmen deployed to India on Sept. 26 for their first appearance in a large-scale exercise on Indian soil.

Exercise Details

Exercise Tarang Shakti will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 12, according to the Indian Air Force, with eight countries contributing aircraft. First held in 2024, the exercise is India’s largest multinational aerial training event.

U.S. Participation

U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Pacific Air Forces confirmed the arrival of the F-35s and released images of them at Jodhpur Air Force Station. The aircraft are from the 13th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan.

In a post on social media, Ambassador Gor stated:

"American airpower has arrived in Jodhpur! Six F-35 Lightning IIs and 200+ Airmen are now in India for their first-ever participation in Exercise Tarang Shakti. Excited to see America’s premier fifth-generation fighters make its Tarang Shakti debut, flying alongside the @IAF_MCC…"

Historical Context

This is the first time the USAF has deployed F-35s for an exercise in India, although the service previously displayed the Lightning II at Aero India, a large-scale air show.

In 2024, the Air Force sent A-10s to Tarang Shakti, and the USAF has also sent F-15s and F-16s to participate in previous editions of Cope India, a major joint air combat exercise.

Growing U.S.-India Air Cooperation

The U.S. and Indian air forces have steadily increased their interaction in recent years:

• A B-1 bomber landed in India for the first time for Aero India in 2021
• The B-1 returned for its first exercise at Cope India 2023
• Last year, President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. might eventually sell F-35s to India, though little has been said on that topic since

Broader Geopolitical Context

On the other side of U.S.-India relations, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also worked to build ties with Russia and China. Modi met with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping earlier this month at the BRICS summit, where he stressed better relations with both countries.

Indian Air Force Aircraft Mix

The Indian Air Force operates an eclectic mix of aircraft, including:

• Indigenous HAL Tejas light combat aircraft
• Russian Su-30s
• French Rafales and Mirage 2000s
• American C-17s
• And others

Russia has also pitched its new Su-57 fighter to India. Both the Su-57 and the F-35 were present at Aero India in 2025.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org.