The Indian Air Force (IAF) will demonstrate its precision targeting capabilities during Exercise Vayu Shakti, to be held in Pokhran, Rajasthan, on the 27th of this month. The full dress rehearsal of Exercise Vayu Shakti will take place on the 24th. Speaking to the media at the event in New Delhi, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, announced that over 120 defense assets will be deployed during the exercise. Emphasizing that the Rafale was a key asset during Operation Sindoor, Air Marshal Kapoor stated that the Indian Air Force is looking forward to inducting more MRFA-Multi Role Fighter Aircraft. A total of 77 fighter aircraft, 43 helicopters, and 8 transport aircraft will participate in Exercise Vayu Shakti. The exercise will feature fighter aircraft including the Rafale, Sukhoi, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, and LCA Tejas. Vayu Shakti-26 will also highlight the success of Operation Sindoor, reaffirming the IAF's dominance in air space control, long-range precision targeting, and multi-domain operations. It will demonstrate integrated and joint operations with the Indian Army. Air Marshal Kapoor highlighted that the message from Operation Sindoor was clear: that terrorism will not be tolerated, and every act of terror carried out on the country's soil will be responded to appropriately. The exercise will also showcase glimpses of how the Air Force plays a crucial role in humanitarian assistance and disaster management by providing rapid airlift, rescue, and evacuation from conflict zones within the country as well as abroad. Advanced weapon systems such as Short Range Loitering Munitions, Akash, SpyDer, and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems, carrying out day, dusk, and night missions, will be featured in the exercise.
