New Delhi: The Indian Air Force will stage one of its biggest operational demonstrations later this week as Exercise Vayushakti-26 takes place at the Pokhran air-to-ground range in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district on February 27. The exercise is expected to showcase the force’s combat readiness, precision strike capability and growing reliance on indigenous platforms.
From frontliner fighters to heavy-lift aircraft and attack helicopters, the display will bring together a wide mix of assets. The drill comes at a time when the government is already pushing for self-reliance in defence production under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Officials say the exercise will also highlight lessons and operational success from recent missions including Operation Sindoor.
The Air Force describes the exercise as a demonstration of its ability to respond first and conflict scenario. Guided by the core values “Achook, Abhedya and Sateek”, the exercise aims to underline its precision, resilience and accuracy in combat operations.
Fighter jets, heavy lifters and indigenous firepower
A broad range of aircraft will participate including Rafale, Tejas, Sukhoi-30MKI, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, MiG-29 and Hawk fighter jets. Transport aircraft such as the C-17, C-130J and C-295 will also be part of the drill along with helicopters like the Apache, Chinook, ALH Mk-IV and Mi-17 IV.
In total, the exercise will involve 77 fighter aircraft, 43 helicopters and eight transport aircraft. Around 277 weapons are expected to be deployed with nearly 12,000 kg of explosives used during live demonstrations. The Air Force will also showcase advanced systems including Akash and SpyDer surface-to-air missiles, loitering munitions and counter-drone capabilities.
Testing readiness across domains
Beyond combat strikes, the exercise will demonstrate the IAF’s role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, including rapid airlift and evacuation missions in India and abroad. Day, dusk and night operations are planned to reflect real-world scenarios.
Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor said the drill would underline the service’s deterrence strength and long-range targeting superiority. As regional security dynamics continue to evolve, Vayushakti-26 is expected to serve as both a readiness test and a clear signal of India’s expanding air power capability.