

The Indian Air Force engages in multiplemilitary exercises with foreign nations and their air forces to increase interoperability between themselves. Some are also multinational exercise. The following is alist of exercises of the Indian Air Force.:
The Indian Air Force's participation in multinational air exercises has evolved significantly over the decades. From early bilateral training drills to hosting full-scale multilateral exercises such as Tarang Shakti, this evolution has reflected India’s growing airpower confidence, interoperability goals, and strategic partnerships. A detailed historical narrative on this transformation has been documented.[1]
| Name | Participating Country | Units | Date | Location | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | |||||
| Exercise Shiksha |
| Palam AFS, India | [2] | ||
| Name | Participating Country | Units | Date | Location | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | |||||
| Garuda I | France | Maharajpur AFS, India | [3] | ||
| 2004 | |||||
| Cope India | United States | 16 - 27 February | Gwalior AFS, India | [4][5] | |
| Sindex I | Singapore | Gwalior AFS, India | |||
| 2005 | |||||
| Garuda II | France | Istres Air Base, France | [6] | ||
| 2006 | |||||
| Sindex II | Singapore | 3 - 20 January | Kalaikunda AFS, India | [7] | |
| Gagan Shakti | - | 4 - 27 September | [8] | ||
| Indradhanush I | United Kingdom | 2 - 13 October | Gwalior AFS, India | [8] | |
| Sindex III | Singapore | 8 November | Kalaikunda AFS, India | [9] | |
| Sindex IV | Singapore | 8 - 22 December | Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore | [8] | |
| 2007 | |||||
| Garuda III | France | 13 - 25 February | Kalaikunda AFS, India | [10] | |
| Indradhanush II | United Kingdom | RAF Waddington, United Kingdom | [11] | ||
| Sindex V | Singapore | 26 November - 13 December | Kalaikunda AFS, India | [12][13] | |
| 2008 | |||||
| Red Flag | United States (Host), India, France, South Korea | 9 - 23 August | Nellis AFB, United States | [14][15][16][17] | |
| Exercise Desert Eagle I | UAE | September | Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE | [18] | |
| 2009 | |||||
| Cope India | United States | 19 - 23 October | Agra AFS, India | [19][20] | |
| Eastern Bridge I | Oman | 31 October | Jamnagar AFS, India | [21] | |
| 2010 | |||||
| Garuda IV | India, France (Host), Singapore | 14 - 25 June | Istres Air Base, France | [22] | |
| Indradhanush III | United Kingdom | 18 October - 3 November | Kalaikunda AFS, West Bengal | [23] | |
| Name | Participating Country | Units | Date | Location | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | |||||
| Eastern Bridge II | Oman | 22 October | Jamnagar AFS, India | [24][25] | |
| 2013 | |||||
| Iron Fist | - | February 2013 | Pokhran, India | [26][27][28] | |
| 2014 | |||||
| Garuda V | France | 2 - 13 June | Jodhpur AFS, India | [29][30][31] | |
| 2015 | |||||
| Indradhanush IV | United Kingdom | 30 July | RAF Coningsby andRAF Brize Norton, United Kingdom | [32] | |
| 2016 | |||||
| Iron Fist | - | 18 March | Pokhran, India | [33][34] | |
| Red Flag – Alaska 16-1 | United States | 28 April - May 13 | Eielson AFB, United States | [35][36][37] | |
| Desert Eagle II | UAE | May 24 - June 3 | Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE | [18][38][39] | |
| Siam Bharat I | Thailand | [40] | |||
| 2017 | |||||
| Eastern Bridge IV | Oman | 16 - 20 January | Jamnagar AFS, India | [41][42][43] | |
| Siam Bharat II | Thailand | 22 - 26 May | Chiang Mai, Thailand | [44][45][46] | |
| Sri Lanka |
| 9 - 14 July | Colombo, Sri Lanka | [47][48][49] | |
| Pralay Shayam (Disaster response exercise) | - | 23 September | Hyderabad, India | [50] | |
| Indra (tri-service) | Russia | 19 - 29 October | Sergeyvsky Training Ranges, Russia | [51] | |
| Blue Flag | Israel (Host), India and 6 other nations | 2 - 6 November | Uvda Air Force Base, Israel | [52][53][54][55] | |
| DANX (Defence of Andaman & Nicobar Exercise) | — | 20 - 24 November | Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India | [56] | |
| 2018 | |||||
| Gaganshakti | — | 8 - 22 April | India | [57][58][59] | |
| Pitch Black | Australia (Host), India and 10 other nations | 27 July - 18 August | Darwin Air Force Base, Australia | [60][61][62] | |
| Bi-lateral exercise | Indonesia | 20 - 22 August | Subang Air Base, Malaysia | [63] | |
| Aviaindra | Russia | 17 - 28 September | Lipetsk, Russia | [64][65] | |
| 10 - 22 December | Jodhpur, India | ||||
| Cope India | United States | 3 - 14 December | Kalaikunda andPanagarh Air Force Stations, India | [66] | |
| Shinyuu Maitri - Bi-Lateral Exercise | Japan | 03-7 December | AFS Agra | [67] | |
| 2019 | |||||
| Vayushakti 19 | — | 16 February | Pokhran, India | [68][69] | |
| Garud VI | France | 1 - 12 July | Mont-de-Marsan, France | [70] | |
| Name | Participating Country | Units | Date | Location | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | |||||
| Exercise Desert Knight 21 | India & France |
| 23 January | Jodhpur AFS, India | [71] |
| Desert Warrior- Joint Tactical Air Exercise | Egypt | 30-31 October | El Berigat Air Base, Egypt | [72] | |
| 2022 | |||||
| Pitch Black | Australia (Host), India and 15 other nations | 27 July - 18 August | Darwin Air Force Base, Australia | [73] | |
| Garuda VII | France | 26 October to 12 November | Jodhpur AFS, India | [74][3] | |
| 2023 | |||||
| Exercise Cobra Warrior 23-1 |
| 145 personnel | 6 March to 24 March | [75][76] | |
| 2024 | |||||
| Exercise Desert Knight 24 |
| 23 January | Arabian Sea, IndianFIS | [77][78] | |
| Vayushakti 24 | — | >121 aircraft | 17 February | Pokhran, India | [79][68][69] |
| Bharat Shakti (Tri-service) | — | 12 March | Pokhran, India | [80][81][82][83] | |
| Gaganshakti | — | All units of IAF | 1 - 10 April | India | [84][85][86] |
| Red Flag – Alaska 24-2 |
| 4 - 14 June | Eielson Air Force Base, United States | [87][88] | |
| Pitch Black | Australia (Host), India and 18 other nations | 27 July - 18 August | Darwin Air Force Base, Australia | [89] | |
| Exercise Udara Shakti | Malaysia | 5 - 9 August | Kuantan, Malaysia | [90][91] | |
| Exercise Tarang Shakti | Phase I
Phase II
| Phase I– 6 - 14 August Phase II– 29 August to 14 September | [92][93] | ||
| Exercise Eastern Bridge VII | Oman | India:MiG-29,Jaguar,C-17 | 11 - 22 September | RAFO Masirah, Oman | [94][95] |
| Joint Military Training | Singapore | India:Su-30MKI,Mirage 2000,MiG-29,Jaguar,Tejas Singapore:F-16,F-15,G-550 AEW&C,C-130 | 21 October - 9 December | Kalaikunda AFS, India | [96] |
| 2025 | |||||
| Exercise INIOCHOS-25 | Greece (Host), India and 13 other nations | 31 March - 11 April | Andravida Air Base, Greece | [97] | |
| Exercise Desert Flag-10 | UAE (Host), India and 10 other nations | 21 April - 8 May | Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE | [98][99] | |
| Exercise Aakraman | India | Late April | [100] | ||
| Exercise Tiger Claw | United States | (Special Forces exercise) | 26 May - 10 June | Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC),Chandigarh Air Force Station | [101][102] |
| Exercise Ocean Sky 2025 | Spain (Host), India and other nations | 20 - 31 October | Gando Air Base, Spain | [103] | |
| Garuda VIII | France | 16 – 27 November | Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, France | [104][105] | |
| AviaIndra | Russia | 15 – 22 December | India | [106][107][108] | |
| 2026 | |||||
| Indo Thai In-situ Exercise | India and Thailand | 9 - 12 February | Indian Ocean Region | Exercise included IAFAWACS and ThaiGripen andGround Control Interception (GCI).[109] | |
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