COIMBATORE: Tarang Shakthi 2024 (Wave of Power) a joint exercise of military aviation of five countries began at the Sulur Air Force Station on Tuesday. The first phase of the air exercise involving India, Germany, the UK, France and Spain will continue till August 13.
Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, who addressed media persons along with Chief of German Airforce Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, said this is the first time such a multinational exercise is being held in the country.
The exercise offers a platform for the participating countries to showcase their aerial prowess and operational proficiency, he said, adding it embodies a collective commitment to defence preparedness and promoting international cooperation and enhancing collective security capabilities.
When asked about why India chose these partners, Chaudhari replied, “We gained experiences from the bilateral exercises with the US and Singapore. Now it is time for us to conduct an air exercise with Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) in India.
When asked if Tarang Shakthi 2024 will help to strengthen the powers of the five countries in Indo Pacific region as China is a threat, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz said, “It is a signal to our partners and not against somebody.” Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari added “I don’t think we are training to operate against any one particular nation.
“This exercise marks a significant milestone, towards our collective commitment, peace and stability. This event can be platform for all (five countries) of us to foster trust and enhance interoperability and refine our capabilities to address the complex challenges of modern warfare,” he said.
Gerhartz, who flew solo for five hours in the Eurofighter Typhoon twin-engine fighter plane, landed in Sulur on Tuesday afternoon. He said they have so far taken part in air shows in Alaska, Japan and Australia. Eurofighter Typhoons from Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, Rafales from France, A -330 MRTT Refuellers, Heavy Military Transport Aircraft A321 and A 400 Ms from Germany, Spain, UK and France are participating in the exercise.
IAF fighter planes including Su-30MKI, Rafale, India’s light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Mirage, Mig29K (Indian Navy), Refueller IL-78 and heavy military transport aircraft C-130 are also part of the exercise.
International Defence and Aviation Exposition (IDEX2024) will be held along with this event. It will showcase Indian indigenous defence industry.