Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh spoke about the importance of self-reliance in the defense sector, technological innovation and international partnerships during his address at the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026.
Rajnath Singh addressed the participants of the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 on October 10, 2026, at Air Force Station Jodhpur. The multinational air exercise, hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from September 26 to October 12, 2026, involved seven Friendly Foreign Countries and 32 observer nations.
The Raksha Mantri congratulated the IAF and all organizations and personnel involved in the successful conduct of the exercise. He welcomed the participating nations and appreciated their contribution to strengthening professional understanding and operational cooperation. He noted that the presence of participating air forces had added significant value to the exercise.
Singh highlighted the importance of self-reliance in the defense sector, technological innovation and international partnerships in addressing the evolving challenges of modern warfare. He emphasized the need for continuous vigilance due to the rapidly changing geopolitical environment and uncertainties associated with technological advancements in the defense sector.
Singh spoke about how modern warfare was undergoing a profound transformation, extending beyond traditional domains to encompass space, cyber, the electromagnetic spectrum and the information domain. He highlighted the growing influence of unmanned systems, drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and long-range precision weapons in shaping contemporary military operations.
The Raksha Mantri said that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, had recognized the importance of strengthening national resilience against emerging security challenges. He stressed that a nation must possess the capability to produce its own weapons and critical technologies to sustain itself during prolonged conflicts and periods of uncertainty.
Highlighting the transformation of the Indian Defence Forces, RM said that the IAF had evolved from a force operating with limited resources at Independence into a modern aerospace power equipped with advanced aircraft, precision weapons, sophisticated sensors, integrated networks, and increasingly advanced indigenous technologies.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
