Jodhpur, Rajasthan, September 3, 2024 — The annual multinational air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ commenced in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on August 29 and will continue until September 14. However, Bangladesh has decided not to participate in the exercise. The Indian news outlet The Print reported this on Tuesday.
Initially, the Bangladesh Air Force was scheduled to participate in the exercise with a C-130 transport aircraft. Despite withdrawing from active participation, Bangladesh will send a few high-ranking military officers to India as observers.
The report highlighted that this was expected to be Bangladesh’s first major involvement in a large-scale, multinational air exercise in India following recent political changes in Bangladesh. However, Dhaka has decided to retract its decision to deploy the C-130 transport aircraft for the second phase of the ‘Tarang Shakti’ exercise.
Despite not participating in the exercise, Bangladesh will still be represented by three senior military officers as observers, according to several sources within the Indian defense establishment. These sources emphasized that Bangladesh is not boycotting the exercise.