'Udara Shakti' exercise strengthens interoperability between India and Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Aug 14
The Indian Air Force on Friday stated that exercise 'Udara Shakti 2026' strengthened interoperability and mutual learning between the IAF and Royal Malaysian Air Force.
"Exercise Udara Shakti 2026 culminates with IAF Rafale and RMAF Su-30MKM and F/A-18 crews exchanging operational insights and sharing experiences. The exercise strengthened interoperability, mutual learning and professional camaraderie, further deepening the enduring bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two Air Forces," the IAF stated on X.
The exercise was being conducted at Subang Airbase in Malaysia.
"Air Warriors from both nations are engaged in joint field training and Subject Matter Expert exchanges, focused on operational learning, exchange of best practices and enhancing interoperability. Train together. Learn together. Operate together," the IAF stated on X earlier.
Last month, the IAF participated in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 alongside the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Air Forces from 20 nations in Australia's Darwin. The exercise is a biennial multinational air combat exercise that brings together Air Forces of top countries and provides a unique opportunity to enhance interoperability besides strengthening operational cooperation.
The IAF contingent comprised highly skilled Air Warriors including pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers and other subject matter experts. The contingent will operate the Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, supported by the C-17 Globemaster-Ill and the IL-78 Air-to-Air Refuelling aircraft in combat support roles.
Through the exercise, the participating forces had the opportunity to enhance interoperability, strengthen force integration and exchange operational best practices towards a collaborative conduct of operations in global scenarios.
The contingent also interacted with Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese during the opening ceremony of the exercise. "Four Rafale aircraft with around 100 Air Warriors from the IAF are honing their air combat skills alongside participants from 20 other countries in Exercise PITCH BLACK 2026, the largest international air combat exercise in the Southern hemisphere, hosted by Australia," the Indian High Commission in Australia posted on X.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is what strong bilateral relations look like. IAF's participation in multiple international exercises—Pitch Black in Australia, now Udara Shakti in Malaysia—shows our air force is truly world-class. Also great to see the focus on sharing operational insights and best practices.
Interesting that this was held at Subang Airbase. Malaysia is a key partner in Southeast Asia, and exercises like these strengthen our strategic footprint in the region. But I wish the media coverage was more detailed—we barely hear about these important missions back home.
The Rafale is proving to be such a versatile aircraft for the IAF! From Pitch Black with 20 nations to Udara Shakti with Malaysia, it's showing its capabilities across different operational environments. Also happy to see the IL-78 refueling aircraft being used effectively in these joint exercises. 👏
As someone who follows defense news from both India and Malaysia, this exercise is quite significant. The Su-30MKM and F/A-18 are formidable aircraft, and training together with the Rafale will benefit all crews. Good to see India's growing defense cooperation in Southeast Asia.
"Train together, learn together, operate together"—that's the spirit! Mutual learning and professional camaraderie between air forces is so important in today's complex security environment. Hope to see even more exercises with Malaysia and other ASEAN nations in the future. 🌏
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