DD Correspondent
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in Exercise Pitch Black 2026, the Royal Australian Air Force’s premier biennial multinational air combat exercise, beginning on July 20 at RAAF Base Darwin, Australia.
The exercise will run until August 7 and brings together air forces from across the world for complex multinational air combat operations and large-force employment missions. Named after its focus on night flying over northern Australia’s vast uninhabited regions, this year’s edition marks one of the largest in the exercise’s 45-year history.
The IAF contingent comprises pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers and other specialists. It will operate Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, supported by C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and IL-78 air-to-air refuelling aircraft.
The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, strengthen force integration and facilitate the exchange of operational best practices among participating nations while improving coordination in multinational operations.
Exercise Pitch Black 2026 will also help validate expeditionary air operations over extended distances and strengthen professional partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region through realistic and challenging training scenarios.
The IAF has previously participated in the 2018, 2022 and 2024 editions of the exercise, reaffirming India’s commitment to enhancing defence cooperation and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
