French Air Force Says Tarang Shakti Is PEGASE 26 Highlight, Cites Rafale Interoperability

French Air Defence Deputy Commander Julien Sabéné has described Exercise Tarang Shakti as the standout element of France’s PEGASE 26 deployment, saying the multinational air exercise in Jodhpur offered rare operational learning between the Indian and French Air Forces, especially through their shared experience of flying Rafale fighter jets.

Speaking to ANI in Jodhpur, Sabéné said the exercise allowed both sides to exchange practical lessons from real-world operations. He noted that India and France have both flown the Rafale in combat, making Tarang Shakti a useful setting to compare experience and refine tactics during a large-force engagement exercise.

“The Indian Air Force has flown the Rafale in combat and so have we,” Sabéné said, adding that lessons from combat could be exchanged in an exercise of this scale.

He also placed the current engagement in a longer historical context, pointing out that the Indian Air Force has operated French-origin aircraft since the 1950s. According to Sabéné, the IAF began flying the Ouragan in 1952, while the Rafale has now been part of the Indian fighter inventory for several years.

The French officer said having the same fighter aircraft on both sides created a practical advantage for training and interoperability. It gave the two air forces an opportunity to discuss procedures, compare methods and share operational experience directly.

Sabéné described the Indian leg of PEGASE 26 as especially important, saying Tarang Shakti was a large multinational drill that offered training relevant to future forms of warfare. “Stopping here for exercise Tarang Shakti was the highlight for us because it’s a true multinational ambitious exercise that gives us the best training to be ready for the next type of war,” he said.

He also underlined interoperability beyond fighter operations, citing cross-refuelling between Indian and French tanker aircraft. According to Sabéné, the exercise demonstrated that both air forces were able to refuel from one another’s tankers, adding another layer to the cooperation on display.

The French contingent taking part in Tarang Shakti includes seven Rafale fighter aircraft, three Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft and two A400M transport aircraft.

Sabéné said he had flown as an observer on an A400M during an air-to-air refuelling mission involving a Rafale, and described the operation as successful.

He said the deployment also gave French personnel a chance to operate alongside the Indian Air Force’s wide range of aircraft. The diversity of platforms in IAF service, he added, created additional learning opportunities for the visiting French crews.

The French deployment to India covered about 30,000 kilometres, Sabéné said, describing it as evidence of France’s role as an Indo-Pacific nation with citizens living in overseas territories.

He also spoke about flying alongside India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Having previously flown the Mirage 2000, Sabéné said the Tejas was new to him and that its characteristics reminded him of the Mirage 2000 from his own fighter-pilot career.

France has also operated with the US-made F-35 in the past. Sabéné noted that the French Air Force flew alongside F-35 aircraft during exercises in Alaska.

Beyond the aircraft themselves, Sabéné stressed the value of personal interaction between aircrews participating in the exercise. He said getting to know one another and discussing aircraft and best practices was an important part of improving interoperability.

According to him, Jodhpur offered a useful setting for Indian and French aircrews to meet, interact and exchange experience on operating different aircraft.

PEGASE 26’s participation in Exercise Tarang Shakti was undertaken at the invitation of the Indian Armed Forces and forms part of the broader India-France defence relationship. France’s Ministry of Armed Forces has described that relationship as “dense and dynamic” and has cited exercises such as Garuda, Orion and Tarang Shakti as evidence of the level of interoperability between the two militaries.

The French ministry has also pointed to closer defence cooperation since the Rafale was inducted into the Indian Air Force.

Exercise Tarang Shakti is being held at Jodhpur from September 26 to October 12 under the theme “Power in Partnership”. The multilateral air exercise brings together participating air forces to train, exchange expertise and build interoperability.

Australia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, France and Germany are among the friendly foreign countries taking part in the exercise.

For the French contingent, the exercise has provided an opportunity to operate alongside Indian Rafale aircraft, carry out air-to-air refuelling and interact with personnel from multiple participating air forces. Sabéné’s remarks reflect the emphasis on sharing operational experience and lessons learned during the multinational exercise.