India hosting first multi-nation air combat drills considered to target China; action 'only a lot of noise with little results'

By Bdv Desk

The first multi-nation air combat exercises hosted by India took off at Sulur in Tamil Nadu on Augusr 6, with dozens of combat aircraft from different parts of the world scheduling to touch down there.

While the drills are considered to be the layout of “containing China,” Chinese military analysts stressed no matter how many countries conspire to pressure China, China remains unfazed. They called this military show “just a lot of noise with little results,” the Global Times reported.

However, considering the current unstable situation in the Middle East and South Asia, the large-scale exercise could further threaten the peace and stability in the regions, analysts warned.

According to foreign media outlets, the drills, named Tarang Shakti, saw the participation of 10 countries with their air assets. 18 other nations were slated to take part as observers.

The first phase of the drills was conducted from August 6 to August 14, with Germany, France, Spain and the UK war-gaming alongside India, media reported.

The second phase was scheduled to take place in Jodhpur, in northern Rajasthan state will see the participation of the US, Australia, Singapore, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates.

Italian media outlet Le Formiche commented that the goal of the drills was to develop cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific region "at a time when tensions with China are at an all-time high." India also hopes to encourage European investments in its defense clusters and promote "make in India" collaborations.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that the current propaganda by foreign media is simply an attempt to justify these so-called partners conducting joint military exercises to pressure China.

No matter how many countries conspire to demonstrate or pressure China, China remains unfazed with its current military strength and political influence, Fu said.

The expert warned that considering such large-scale multinational exercises have strong political and military purposes, India, as a major power in South Asia, conducting military exercises with some Western countries will definitely exert pressure on neighboring countries, such as those near the China-India borders and more South Asian countries.

At the same time, the Times of India apparently tries to portray India as a formidable power in the Asia-Pacific region by disclosing Wednesday that in all, 67 fighters and military aircraft from those 10 countries and observers from another 18, are scheduled to take part in Tarang Shakti. Also, India plans to deploy 75 to 80 fighters, aircraft and helicopters for the exercise.

However, European participants located far from India may have encountered difficulties in deploying their aircraft for joint air force exercises. Furthermore, Europe is currently grappling with its own challenges amid the Ukraine crisis, making it difficult to allocate substantial time for preparation. As a result, the so-called exercises may be more about making noise than achieving significant results, Fu told the Global Times.

For India, one of the purposes of the multi-national military exercises could be enhancing mutual exchanges and seeking assistance in developing the next generation of stealth fighters and purchasing new fighter jets, Fu analyzed.