About Mission Pegase 26:
- It is the seventh edition of France's long-range air projection exercise.
- Distance: More than 40,000 kilometres
- Route:
- Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Qatar, Réunion, and then Egypt.
- Pegase 26 is following a route linking the Arctic, Indo-Pacific, and Middle East.
- Stated aims: Operational readiness, strategic partnerships, freedom of air navigation.
- India is a key stop on the Indo-Pacific leg of Pegase 26.
- In India, the French contingent will participate in Tarang Shakti.
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026:
- It is the multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- Venue: Air Force Station, Jodhpur, and adjoining air bases.
- It is the second edition of the exercise. The maiden edition of the exercise took place in August-September 2024 in two phases.
- Participating Countries: Seven foreign air forces—from the S., France, Germany, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the UAE—are participating, while 32 nations will be attending as observers.
- It is aimed at enhancing interoperability among participating air forces, while providing a platform for exchanging operational experience and showcasing India’s air combat capabilities.
- The exercise will see the participation of advanced combat aircraft, including the S. Air Force’s F-35, the French Rafale, the UAE’s F-16, and a Bangladeshi C-130J.
- The IAF will field a range of its frontline platforms, including the Rafale, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Tejas, MiG-29, and Su-30MKI.
