The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been busy keeping up with foreign relations throughout the first quarter of 2023 and is looking to continue its streak into April as well. The IAF is hosting Cope India 2023 at AFS Kalaikunda in West Bengal alongside the US Air Force. The IAF is fielding its Su-30 MKI, Rafales, Tejas, and Jaguar aircraft along with a logistical support fleet consisting of C-130s, Il-78 Refuellers, and AWACS. The USAF has brought in its F-15s and for the first time the B-1 strategic bomber will take part in the Cope India exercise. In addition, the USAF has brought its logistical fleet of C-17s, and C-130s. The Japanese Air Self Defence Forces will be participating as an observer.
Overlapping Cope India 2023, the IAF is participating in France’s Orion Exercise where four IAF Rafales along with a C-17 and IL-78 will take part alongside the French Air Force and USAF. This is the first time the IAF is deploying its Rafales to take part in air exercises at home and in international skies. In a boost to India’s foreign military relations, the Hellenic Air Force has invited India for its massive air exercise, Iniochos 2023. IAF will dispatch five Su-30 MKIs for the ten-day long exercise in the Mediterranean region. Iniochos 2023 will also see the participation of Air Forces from Saudi Arabia, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Jordan, Slovenia, and the U.S.
Analysis
Kickstarting 2023, the IAF participated in various air-exercises, including its first ever bilateral exercise with and in Japan, the first overseas deployment of Tejas to the UAE, and the month-long deployment of Mirages to the UK. The momentum has continued into April with the IAF participating in three exercises simultaneously. These exercises are enabling IAF pilots to gain vital operational experience while maintaining friendly relations. IAF pilots get exposure to tactics of Western Air Forces and get to interact with pilots who have taken part in some of the global conflict zones, albeit in uncontested airspaces. Additionally, IAF pilots are also getting the opportunity to interact with Air Forces from West Asia and Greece, a welcome move for India’s overall strategic focus.
However, out of these six major exercises, only one is being held in India, the Cope India 2023, which has always been a bilateral exercise between the USAF and IAF since its inception. This year the addition of Japan as an observer doesn’t shift the core bilateral focus of Cope India 2023. The IAF must aim towards large-scale air exercises, with a focus on air and maritime dominance missions. The IAF should conduct these exercises in its Eastern Sector, similar to this year’s Cope India, the Western Sector where it can expose friendly air forces to the deserts of Rajasthan and the maritime operations around Gujarat and Maharashtra. Finally, the IAF must conduct a large-scale maritime focused exercise from its peninsula, giving friendly air forces access and familiarity to the Indian Ocean Region.
The USAF, French Air Force and British Air Force have been the most constant engagers with the IAF, however as the IAF has grown and continued its relations with these three it has developed friendly relations with other Air Forces as well, for instance the Royal Oman Air Force. When America, France and the UK host the IAF, they also host multiple other Air Forces, like the Royal Saudi Air Force, Hellenic Air Force, and JASDF. The IAF’s constant participation has enabled it to develop friendly relations with these air forces as well. The time is ripe for the IAF to host similar exercises with the above-mentioned Air Forces. As India’s foreign relations have engaged reheat and are increasing their diplomatic spread, the IAF must follow suite. The Air Forces of Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America should also be on IAF’s invite list. The IAF has the opportunity of inviting neighbourhood Air Forces of Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Air-Arm of Bhutan’s, Nepal’s and Maldives’ Armies, while extend the invite to friendly Western and West Asian Air Forces for a massive air exercise, with the option of Southeast Asia and Japan as participants/observers (excluding Pakistan from the neighbourhood gathering). The opportunities for forging better foreign relations through these air-exercises are endless, and the time has come for the IAF to ditch its history of largely conducting bilateral air exercises, and actively work towards multilateral air exercises, which will inevitably reflect India’s macro strategy.
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Bi- lat and multi- lat exercises are good for interoperability and review of TTPs. India has been expanding its friendly/ diplomatic footprint though such military exercises. Cost/ benefit analysis is an essential factor in planning such exercises. We shall see larger participation in scale/ size in due course of time.