The Bangladesh Air Force is one of the participants in the second phase of the exercise, which begins in late August. The first phase of the exercise starts on Tuesday.
Officials with knowledge of the situation said on Monday that the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh has affected the nation’s ability to participate in Tarang Shakti 2024, the largest multilateral air combat exercise that India is hosting in August and September. Her resignation came hours after Sheikh Hasina left the country after weeks of violent anti-government protests.
The Bangladesh Air Force is one of the participants in the second phase of the exercise, which begins in late August. The first phase of the exercise starts on Tuesday.
Using a C130-J Super Hercules special operations aircraft, which the Bangladesh Air Force had previously confirmed would be used for the exercise involving the participation of ten foreign air forces and eighteen countries as observers, Hasina touched down at the Hindon air base outside of Delhi on Monday evening.
The head of the Bangladesh Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, who took up the position just two months ago, is one of the ten foreign military commanders who have officially confirmed their involvement in Tarang Shakti 2024 with the Indian Air Force.
Hasan and the head of the nation’s navy accompanied Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman as he said in a televised speech that Hasina had resigned and that an interim administration will be constituted.
According to one of the aforementioned authorities, Bangladesh has not, as of yet, withdrawn from the bilateral exercise, which is taking place in two phases: August 6–14 at the Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu, and August 29–September 14 in Jodhpur.
“That nation is going through a political crisis, and it looks like the armed forces are in charge of everything. Since the priorities have changed, we will have to wait and see if Bangladesh continues to participate in the exercise,” a second official stated.
During a curtain-raiser ceremony for Tarang Shakti 2024 on July 31, Air Marshal AP Singh, the deputy head of the Indian Air Force, stated that India will be able to demonstrate its domestic military capabilities to a global audience.
Seventy to eighty aircraft, including fighters, helicopters, special operations planes, mid-air refuellers, and airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, will be involved in each phase of the drills.
Among the locally built equipment participating in the exercises are the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1), Prachand light combat helicopter, Dhruv advanced light helicopter, and its armed variant Rudra. In a realistic setting, Tarang Shakti 2024 will feature a range of simulated military scenarios. The drill is expected to increase confidence between nations and assist air forces in exploring opportunities for interoperability.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Greece, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore are among the air forces contributing their resources to the exercise. Two of India’s primary defense allies, Russia and Israel, are not participating in the exercises since they are focused on the current events at home.
IAF jets like as the Rafales, Sukhoi-30 MKIs, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars, and MiG-29s are participating in the drills. The foreign air forces will use F-18s, F-16s, Rafales, and Typhoons as its fighter planes.
The first phase will involve the UK, France, Germany, and Spain, while the second and last leg will involve the remaining foreign air forces.
