Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026: IAF to showcase combat might, glimpse of Operation Sindoor

The Indian Air Force will conduct its largest post-Operation Sindoor firepower demonstration, Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026 , on February 27 at the Pokharan field firing range in Rajasthan, showcasing frontline fighter jets, helicopters, transport aircraft, air defence systems, drones and special forces in a simulated wartime environment.

More than 120 aerial and ground-based assets , including 77 fighter aircraft, 43 helicopters and eight transport planes , will take part in the two-and-a-half-hour-long exercise, which is designed to demonstrate India’s full spectrum of offensive and defensive air combat capabilities. Nearly all combat platforms used during Operation Sindoor will be deployed, underscoring the Indian Air Force’s enhanced operational readiness .

Frontline fighters participating include Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Tejas, Jaguar, Mirage-2000 and Hawk , supported by Apache, Chinook, Mi-17, LCH Prachand and Advanced Light Helicopters . Strategic transport aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster and C-295 will also feature prominently, executing specialised assault and logistics missions during the demonstration .

Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor said the exercise “assumes a different connotation” as it follows Operation Sindoor , India’s precision strike campaign launched last year in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack . While long-range missile targeting will not be demonstrated due to safety constraints, the exercise will still display high-precision weapon delivery and close-range strike profiles , offering visible impact on designated targets .

For the first time, two new weapon systems and a significantly larger number of indigenous precision-guided munitions will be showcased. In total, 277 weapons and over 11,800 kg of explosives will be employed during the drills. Fighter and transport aircraft will operate from multiple air bases, including Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Phalodi, Uttarlai, Hindan and Vadodara , highlighting rapid deployment and multi-base coordination .

The exercise will also include night assault landings by the C-295, short-runway insertion missions by the C-130J deploying Garud special forces, and integrated drone and loitering munition operations, simulating complex battlefield scenarios. The entire exercise will be monitored through the Integrated Air Command and Control System , enabling real-time coordination between air defence radars, surface-to-air missile units and combat aircraft .

Air defence elements, including the Akash and Spyder missile systems , anti-drone platforms and Army L-70 guns , will provide layered protection, demonstrating India’s evolving airspace security architecture. The drill will also involve Army artillery units and Para Special Forces , reflecting tri-service integration during high-intensity operations .

When asked whether the exercise, being conducted close to the western border, carried strategic messaging for Pakistan, Air Marshal Kapoor said, “We will do our demonstration. What message goes out is for others to interpret.”

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year , destroying terror infrastructure at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting key launchpads of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen , in a decisive response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians