About Exercise Vayu Shakti-24:

• The Indian Air Force is slated to carry out three large scale war games on February 17, namely, Vayu Shakti, Gagan Shakti and Tarang Shakti.
• It will be a riveting demonstration of the offensive and defensive capabilities of the IAF, spanning across day and night.
• The exercise will also showcase joint operations with the Indian Army.
• Exercise Vayu Shakti
  • The IAF will first undertake the major “Vayu Shakti” firepower demonstration, which is held once every three years, with 135 fighters, aircraft, helicopters and drones at the Pokhran field firing ranges.
• Gagan Shakti’
  • The second mega exercise will be ‘Gagan Shakti’.
  • In this, almost the entire air fleet race would be activated from north to south, and from west to east to test integrated war fighting strategies and tactics with the other two forces and other stakeholders.
  • All the potent weapon systems like the Rafale fighter aircraft and the S-400 air defense systems would be participating in the ‘Gagan Shakti’ exercise.
  • The exercise, which is held once in five years, is also going to be the biggest ever of the series with active participation from other two services.
• Tarang Shakti
  • The third major exercise, Tarang Shakti, would be the first ever multinational exercise to be held in the country.
  • This will see aircraft from friendly air forces like the US, Germany, France, Australia and neighbouring and other friendly countries taking part in it.