Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday, 10 October 2026, visited the airbase in Jodhpur to attend the Indian Air Force's multinational air combat exercise Tarang Shakti-2026, where he warned that the old global order was dissolving faster than a new one could take form — a signal, he said, that demands India maintain a high state of military alertness. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh was among the senior Indian Air Force officials present at the exercise.

On the Shifting World Order

Addressing personnel from Indian and foreign military contingents at the exercise, Rajnath Singh said: "The world finds itself today facing a situation where the older established world order is fast disappearing, while the shape of the future world order is yet to emerge." He described this transitional moment as a volatile environment demanding constant vigilance. "India is monitoring developments in its region, along its borders and beyond," he added, signalling that New Delhi is keeping a close watch on the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.

Technology Redefining Modern Warfare

Singh stressed that emerging technologies had fundamentally altered the character of contemporary conflict. He pointed specifically to unmanned systems and drones as having transformed the speed, scale, and nature of military operations. "Artificial Intelligence is reshaping decision-making, electronic warfare requires absolute spectrum control, and long-range precision weapons have expanded the battlespace," he said. He argued that future military power would hinge less on the sheer number of platforms a nation possesses and more on "the speed of sensing, understanding, deciding and acting."

Atmanirbharta as National Policy

The Defence Minister reiterated India's commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing, calling it a strategic imperative rooted in a hard lesson of modern statecraft. "In times of crisis, no nation can sustain long-drawn-out wars unless it is capable of producing its own weapons and critical technologies," he said, adding that this realisation had led India to formally adopt Atmanirbharta — or self-reliance in defence — as national policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Indigenous Platforms Take Centre Stage

The aerial demonstrations at Jodhpur placed India's domestically developed platforms in the spotlight. The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas performed high-altitude manoeuvres at approximately 5,000 metres, showcasing its operational agility. The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, commanded by Group Captain Anubhav Mahendra, also demonstrated its combat capabilities. Developed and manufactured in India under the 'Make in India' initiative, Prachand represents a key milestone in the country's indigenous defence ecosystem. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv was also among the platforms featured in the exercise.

What Tarang Shakti Signals

Tarang Shakti is designed to promote cooperation, interoperability, and strategic coordination among participating air forces. The exercise provides Indian and partner-nation personnel an opportunity to exchange operational experience and demonstrate capabilities in complex air combat scenarios. This edition notably coincides with a period of heightened regional security concerns and comes as India continues to expand its defence partnerships globally. The participation of indigenously developed platforms underlines the Indian Air Force's growing reliance on domestic technology as a cornerstone of its long-term modernisation strategy.