In the monsoon: German Air Force conducts exercise with India
In the monsoon: German Air Force conducts exercise with India
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The German Air Force is taking off for an exercise in Indian airspace.The stay on the subcontinent, called Tarang Shakti, is part of the Pacific Skies 24 exercise. With its participation, the German Air Force once again proves its global deployability.
The Chief of the German Air Force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, shows his Indian counterpart Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari the German Eurofighters during the Pitch Black 2022 exercise in Australia
Bundeswehr/Francis HildemannWhen will the German Air Force train in India?
The Tarang Shakti exercise will take place from 6 to 13 August – and thus during the monsoon season, which is likely to cause daily downpours in an already tropical and humid climate. The Pacific Skies 24 exercise series, which has been going on since mid-June, ends with the flights over India.
What is the purpose of Tarang Shakti?
The goal is to be able to safely conduct joint missions. The visit is based on the central idea of cooperating more closely with the most populous democracy in the world and the sixth largest industrial nation and of exchanging experiences. The Indian Air Force uses both Russian and Western aircraft, including Russian Sukhoi Su-30 and French Rafale and Mirage.
How many German aircraft will take part in the exercise?
Five German Eurofighters and one A400M transport aircraft will be involved. Together with the aircraft of our partners from France, Spain and the United Kingdom and of our host country, India, the exercise fleet will comprise almost 40 combat aircraft.
Who leads the German contingent?
The lead element is 71 Tactical Air Wing Richthofen. The starting point of the exercise flights is Sulur Air Base in the federal state of Tamil Nadu in the south of the subcontinent.
Why is the exercise important?
The current wars and crises have brought our two countries closer together. During a visit to New Delhi in June 2023, German Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius proposed a more intensive cooperation between our countries. At the most recent International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin in June, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, Chief of the German Air Force, welcomed Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, who inspected among other things the latest generation of the Eurofighter.
