IAF to Showcase Precision Firepower at Pokhran; Vayu Shakti-26 to Spotlight Op Sindoor Success

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will demonstrate its precision strike capability and multi-domain operational strength during Exercise Vayu Shakti-26 at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan on February 27, with the full dress rehearsal scheduled for February 24. The exercise comes months after the successful execution of Operation Sindoor, which senior officials say reaffirmed India’s resolve against cross-border terror and reinforced the IAF’s dominance in contested airspace.

Addressing the media at a curtain-raiser briefing in the national capital on Tuesday, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, outlined the scale and strategic intent of the exercise. Over 120 air and ground defence assets will be deployed, including 77 fighter aircraft, 43 helicopters and eight transport aircraft.

The frontline fighter fleet—Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar and the indigenous LCA Tejas—will undertake live fire demonstrations, simulating precision strikes on designated targets. Rafale, described by Air Marshal Kapoor as the “hero” platform during Operation Sindoor, will feature prominently in high-accuracy, long-range engagement profiles.

The live exercise will be conducted on February 27 at Pokhran, India’s premier testing and firing range in Rajasthan, known for hosting large-scale tri-service drills. The rehearsal on February 24 will validate operational coordination and safety protocols.

According to the IAF leadership, the objective is twofold: to validate operational preparedness and to send a calibrated strategic message. “The message from Operation Sindoor was clear — terrorism will not be tolerated. Every act of terror on Indian soil will invite an appropriate response,” Air Marshal Kapoor said, underscoring the deterrence doctrine shaping current force posture.

The exercise will simulate day, dusk and night combat scenarios, integrating fighter jets, attack helicopters, transport platforms and ground-based air defence systems. Advanced weaponry on display will include Short-Range Loitering Munitions, the Akash surface-to-air missile system, SpyDer air defence systems and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), reflecting the IAF’s layered air defence grid against emerging aerial threats.

Beyond combat drills, Vayu Shakti-26 will also demonstrate the Air Force’s role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Rapid airlift missions, casualty evacuation, and rescue operations from conflict and disaster-hit zones—both domestic and overseas—will be showcased to highlight the IAF’s dual military and humanitarian mandate.

Significantly, the Vice Chief confirmed that the force is looking to induct additional Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) to maintain squadron strength and technological edge amid evolving regional security challenges.

Defence planners view Vayu Shakti not merely as a firepower exhibition but as a strategic signalling platform—one that integrates air dominance, jointness with the Indian Army, and technological depth. As geopolitical fault lines persist and asymmetric threats endure, the IAF’s emphasis remains on readiness, precision and credible deterrence.

At Pokhran this month, that doctrine will unfold in the skies.