The Indian Air Force (IAF) is gearing up to conduct Exercise Vayushakti-26, scheduled to be conducted on February 27, 2026, at the Pokhran Air to Ground Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This massive exercise is intended to demonstrate the readiness of the IAF to respond swiftly to a range of military situations and to test its operational readiness.
The event will highlight how the IAF establishes air dominance early in a conflict and makes calibrated responses to its adversaries. But aside from its military capabilities, this exercise will also highlight the humanitarian aspect of the Air Force to quickly demonstrate its airlift and rescue capabilities for both national and international humanitarian missions.
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Full-Spectrum Operations Across Platforms
Vayushakti-26 will be conducted in a mix of day, dusk, and night sorties, with fighters, transport aircraft, helicopters, and remotely piloted aircraft operating together. The participating aircraft will include Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-29, and Hawk fighter jets.
Support and transport aircraft will include C-130J, C-295, and C-17, accompanied by helicopters like Chetak, ALH MK-IV, Mi-17 IV, LCH, Apache, and Chinook. The exercise will also employ sophisticated weapons such as Short Range Loitering Munitions, Akash, SpyDer, and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems.
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Focus on Indigenous Capability and Operational Precision
The exercise will focus on the learnings from Operation Sindoor, emphasising the IAF’s focus on accurate targeting, long-range strike capabilities, and operations. It will also emphasise the utilisation of indigenous platforms, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision
Keeping in mind the ‘Achook, Abhedya aur Sateek’ values, Exercise Vayushakti-26 is designed to demonstrate operational superiority and technological prowess.
