‘Tarang Shakti 2024’: Uncertainty shrouds Bangladesh’s participation in air combat drills
The first phase of the exercise begins on Tuesday, while the second one that starts in late August involves the Bangladesh Air Force, among others.
The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh has cast a shadow on the country’s participation in Tarang Shakti 2024, the biggest multilateral air combat exercise to be hosted by India during August-September, officials aware of the matter said on Monday, hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country following weeks of violent anti-government protests.
The first phase of the exercise begins on Tuesday, while the second one that starts in late August involves the Bangladesh Air Force, among others.
On Monday evening, Hasina landed at the Hindon air base outside Delhi in a C130-J Super Hercules special operations aircraft, the type that the Bangladesh Air Force earlier confirmed to deploy for the exercise that will involve the participation of 10 foreign air forces and 18 countries as observers.
Bangladesh Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, who assumed the top post barely two months ago, is on the list of 10 foreign military chiefs who recently confirmed their participation to the Indian Air Force for Tarang Shakti 2024.
Bangladesh army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman was flanked by Hasan and the country’s navy chief when he announced in a televised address that Hasina had resigned, and an interim government will be formed.
To be sure, Bangladesh has thus far not withdrawn from the multilateral exercise that is being conducted in two phases — from August 6-14 at the Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu, and August 29 to September 14 in Jodhpur, said one of the officials cited above.
“There’s a political crisis in that country and the armed forces appear to have taken control of the situation. We will have to wait and see if Bangladesh will still take part in the exercise as the priorities are different now,” said a second official.
Tarang Shakti 2024 will allow India to showcase its indigenous military capabilities to the world, IAF vice chief Air Marshal AP Singh said on July 31 at a curtain-raiser event for the exercise.
Each phase of the drills will involve the participation of 70-80 aircraft, including fighter planes, helicopters, special operations planes, mid-air refuellers and airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft.
The Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1), Prachand light combat helicopter, Dhruv advanced light helicopter and its armed version Rudra are among the locally produced assets taking part in the drills. Tarang Shakti 2024 will involve a variety of simulated combat missions in a realistic environment. The exercise will boost mutual trust and help global air forces explore avenues for interoperability.
The air forces that are bringing their assets for the exercise include the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. Russia and Israel, two of India’s main defence partners, are not taking part in the drills as they are preoccupied with the ongoing developments back home.
IAF fighters taking part in the drills include the Rafales, Sukhoi-30 MKIs, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars and MiG-29s. The fighter jets to be deployed by the foreign air forces include F-18s, F-16s, Rafales and Typhoons.
The UK, France, Germany and Spain will take part in the first phase, while the remaining foreign air forces will participate in the second and final leg.
