New Delhi: The mega multilateral military exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ will be held next year. The exercise was originally planned for October this year.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host the exercise in the middle of 2024 as a number of participating air forces conveyed to the IAF that they will not be able to join the wargame if it is held this year, said sources in the defence and military establishment on August 16.

The exercise will be the biggest air exercise being organised in India and is expected to witness participation of around 12 air forces. It is learnt that air forces of France, the UK, Australia, the US and Japan would participate in the exercise.

The focus of the wargame will be to improve military cooperation and enhance interoperability. Six countries will participate in the ‘Tarang Shakti’ with their aerial assets like fighter jets, military transport aircraft and mid-air refuellers while six other nations were invited as observers, the sources said.

The Indian Air Force has participated in a number of major overseas exercises in the last few months. In April, the Indian Air Force sent four Rafale jets, two C-17 aircraft and two IL-78 mid-air refuellers for a nearly three-week multinational air exercise at France’s Mont-de-Marsan military base. In addition, Exercise Cope India  was carried out by air forces of india and US in Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra. The US deployed B1 Bomber jets and F-15 fighter aircraft besides other assets in the exercise.

Last month over the Indian Ocean region, four Rafale fighter aircraft carried out a “strategic” mission for more than six hours in a significant demonstration of their long-range combat capabilities.