French Rafale F4 Fighters and Tankers Arrive in Jodhpur for Tarang Shakti Exercise

The French Air and Space Force has deployed four advanced Rafale F4 fighter jets, three A330 MRTT Phénix multi-role tanker transport aircraft, and two A400M Atlas transport aircraft to Jodhpur Air Station. The contingent arrived as part of Mission Pégase 26 to participate in the second edition of the multinational air combat exercise Tarang Shakti, hosted by the Indian Air Force.

The deployment involves approximately 300 French military personnel and follows stops in the Arctic, the Pacific, East Asia, and the Indian Ocean. The Tarang Shakti exercise is scheduled to run from September 28 to October 12, bringing together international forces to improve operational cooperation and joint air capabilities.

Mission Pégase 26 represents the seventh iteration of France's long-range air power projection operations. Spanning from September 8 to October 15, the 40,000-kilometer deployment includes nine strategic stopovers across multiple regions. Before arriving in India, the French contingent spent seven days at Hyakuri Air Base in Japan for joint training with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, followed by operational stops in South Korea and Indonesia.

The French Embassy in New Delhi noted that the global deployment is structured to demonstrate the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace capacity to rapidly project combat aircraft across intercontinental distances. The mission also supports France's strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific region, where Paris maintains overseas territories and security commitments.

A notable technical element of the current deployment is the utilization of Rafale F4 standard aircraft. In previous regional exercises, including PEGASE 2023 and Pacific Skies 2024, the French Air and Space Force deployed older F3 standard fighters. The F4 standard incorporates significant upgrades to onboard avionics, radar systems, and weapon integration capabilities.

The French Direction Générale de l'Armement announced the qualification of the F4.1 standard in March 2023 following testing at the Cazaux flight tests center. Improvements feature a range extension kit for the AASM variant, up to three bomb carriage configurations, an upgraded Talios targeting pod, and enhanced passive threat detection.

The arrival underscores deepening bilateral defense ties between New Delhi and Paris. French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou emphasized that France regards India as a core strategic defense partner, pointing to established joint exercises such as Varuna, Garuda, and Shakti as foundational elements of bilateral operational interoperability.

Defense modernization efforts include a major contract for twenty-six Rafale Marine fighter jets intended for aircraft carriers. Additionally, partnerships involve an H125 helicopter assembly line established by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems alongside missile co-production plans between Safran and Bharat Electronics.

High-ranking military leadership from the French Air and Space Force are scheduled to visit India during the deployment window to hold formal talks with Indian defense authorities. Lt. Gen. Dominique Tardif, Vice Chief of the French Air and Space Force, and Maj. Gen. Julien Sabéné, commander of Mission Pégase, will oversee the integration of French assets into the Jodhpur exercise schedule.

The multinational training phases will test combined tactics, air-to-air refueling operations using the A330 MRTT fleet, and heavy tactical airlift maneuvers executed by the A400M aircraft alongside Indian Air Force platforms.

With the French contingent fully established at Jodhpur, participating air arms will finalize pre-exercise briefings ahead of the formal opening of Tarang Shakti on September 28. The combat drills will continue through October 12, after which the French task force will complete the final legs of its global deployment schedule, concluding Mission Pégase 26 on October 15.