Indian Air Force

The exercise is aimed at showcasing the IAF's capability to conduct full-spectrum operations.French-made Rafale fighter aircraft will be participating for the first time.

According to sources, PM Narendra Modi has asked the Indian Air Force to join the ongoing evacuation efforts from Ukraine under Operation Ganga in order to step up the evacuation activities.

In a Twitter post, the IAF said: "In light of the recent events, IAF has decided not to deploy its aircraft for Exercise Cobra Warrior 2022 in UK."

"The Indian Air Force is prepared to meet any needs for the evacuation of our compatriots from Ukraine," IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ashish Moghe told ANI when questioned about the prospect of its jets returning Indian nationals.

In a first, India's home-grown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will be participating in a multinational air exercise 'Cobra Warrior' at Waddington in the United Kingdom, scheduled to commence from March 6.

At the request of the local administration, an Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter rescued a young trekker at the Bramhagiri Rocks in Karnataka's Nandi Hills after he slipped and fell 300 feet below.

The hashtag 'Airmenresult' was among the top trends on Twitter in India with over two million tweets within a matter of hours.

Indian Navy has been chosen as best marching contingent among the Services, while Indian Air Force won in popular choice category.

Besides the impressive march-past and weapons display at Rajpath, the air wings of the defence forces showcased their skills over the national capital.

The topic of the IAF tableau was 'Indian Air Force Transforming for the Future.' The float included scaled-down versions of the Rafale fighter aircraft, an indigenously produced light combat helicopter (LCH), and the 3D surveillance radar Aslesha MK-1.