The Indian Air Force (IAF) has set the stage for its largest air firepower demonstration, Vayu Shakti 2026, with a thunderous full dress rehearsal at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. Scheduled for Friday (February 27, 2026) in the Chandhan area of Jaisalmer, the mega exercise will be have President Droupadi Murmu as the Chief Guest.
The day-dusk-night IAF event is expected to showcase India’s growing indigenous air combat capabilities, network-centric warfare systems and multi-domain strike power. The force held a full dress rehearsel for the main showcase on Tuesday (February 24, 2026), during which it transformed the desert range into a simulated battlefield.
Vayu Shakti 2026: IAF’s full dress rehearsal
Tuesday’s rehearsal began dramatically with a Rafale fighter jet breaking the sound barrier at around 1,300 km/h, producing a supersonic boom that echoed across the range. What followed was a coordinated display of air dominance – Su-30MKI aircraft struck simulated enemy runways and fortified positions, MiG-29 jets targeted armoured columns.
While Mirage 2000 and Jaguars executed precision bombing runs, the indigenous Akash air defence system intercepted aerial targets mid-air. Helicopters including Prachand, Apache, Chinook and Dhruv Mk IV also joined the battlefield simulations. Explosions sent towering clouds of sand into the desert sky, underlining the IAF’s precision strike capability.
What makes IAF’s Vayu Shakti 2026 different?
This year’s edition stands out for its emphasis on indigenously developed ammunition and missiles, integrated air defence systems, multi-domain, synchronised operations, day-to-night combat transition drills. For the first time, a grand drone show was included in Vayu Shakti dress rehearsal.
Drones illuminated the desert sky by forming the map of India, symbolic aircraft formations, historic combat moments. The rehearsal also paid a rich tribute to milestones such as Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon’s bravery in the 1971 war, the bombing of Tiger Hill during Kargil, the Balakot airstrike, and most recent Operation Sindoor along with the neutralisation of nine terror camps.
The drones also depicted how India’s S-400 air defence system thwarted hostile aerial attacks.
Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026: What to expect on February 27?
President Droupadi Murmu will first undertake a historic sortie in an indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) from Jaisalmer Air Base, marking the first time an Indian President flies in a homegrown combat helicopter. President Murmu has previously flown in the Rafale and the Su-30MKI, praising the IAF’s professionalism and operational excellence.
The ALH Dhruv represents a milestone in India’s indigenous aerospace development. The sortie is seen as a powerful endorsement of the country’s ‘Make in India’ defence push.
Following the sortie, she will witness the main Vayu Shakti 2026 demonstration at Pokhran, alongside Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, senior military leadership, foreign defence and air attachés.
Which platforms are participating in Vayu Shakti 2026?
The exercise features an impressive lineup of frontline assets like Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, SEPECAT Jaguar, BAE Hawk, C-130J Super Hercules, Airbus C-295, C-17 Globemaster III, HAL Dhruv and Chetak, Light Combat Helicopter (Prachand), Apache and Chinook helicopters.
Notably, the HAL Tejas Mk-1 did not participate in the rehearsal following a recent technical incident and fleet safety inspections. Its absence is likely to continue during the main event.
What operational capabilities are being demonstrated?
Vayu Shakti 2026 is designed to validate the Indian Air Force’s long-range precision strike capability, rapid response mechanisms, integrated air defence operations, joint special operations with Army units, night assault and temporary runway landings.
A major highlight of the rehearsal included a C-130J night landing on a temporary runway, deploying and retrieving Garud commandos, a crucial capability for special operations behind enemy lines. The C-295 performed an assault landing, reinforcing tactical airlift capabilities in contested environments.