Greece absent from Tarang Shakti 2026 air contingents despite earlier Indian announcement

Greece is absent from the seven foreign air contingents named by India as Tarang Shakti 2026 entered its operational phase at Jodhpur on September 27, five days after an Indian state broadcaster listed it among eight countries expected to deploy aircraft. The change leaves the status of a planned Hellenic Air Force contribution unclear.

India’s News On AIR reported on September 22 that Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Greece, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States would participate with air assets. It said another 32 countries would attend as observers. The report accompanied a briefing by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, vice chief of the Indian Air Force, ahead of the exercise’s September 26 opening.

A September 27 release from India’s Ministry of Defence names seven countries taking part: Australia, the United States, the UAE, France, Germany, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Greece does not appear on that operational list. The ministry identifies foreign aircraft including F-35 Lightning II, Rafale, F-16, A400M, MRTT, C-130, C-130J and KC-30A, but does not assign each aircraft type to a national contingent in that release.

The difference is particularly visible in the exercise imagery. NemesisHD noted that Greece’s flag remains on the Tarang Shakti emblem carried in the earlier Indian government presentation, even as the subsequent ministry announcement lists one fewer participating country. The emblem shows that Greece featured in the event’s published visual material; it does not by itself establish that Greek aircraft have arrived at Jodhpur.

Neither the September 27 Indian release nor the earlier broadcaster’s announcement explains the change. There has been no identified public explanation from the Hellenic Air Force, the Hellenic National Defence General Staff or Greece’s defence ministry about the apparent absence of a Greek aircraft contingent. It is therefore premature to characterize the change as a cancellation or withdrawal. The exercise is due to continue until October 12, and a later appearance has not been ruled out by those public notices.

The distinction matters because the September 22 report was published only four days before the start, rather than being a preliminary list issued months earlier. NemesisHD also noted that some Indian accounts from September 22 already described seven foreign air forces without Greece. The available announcements establish an inconsistency in the published participant lists, but do not establish when or why plans may have changed.

Greece took part in the inaugural Tarang Shakti in 2024. The Hellenic Air Force sent four F-16 Block 52+ Advanced fighters from 336 Squadron, supported by C-130 transports, to Jodhpur. India and Greece have also used the Greek Iniochos exercise for bilateral air-force cooperation. That previous participation is separate from the unresolved question of a Greek deployment in 2026.

India says this year’s exercise, themed “Power in Partnership,” runs at Jodhpur and adjoining air bases from September 26 to October 12. Its operational phase brings together combat, airlift and refuelling aircraft. The latest ministry list confirms seven foreign air contingents for that phase and provides no further detail on the Greek participation initially announced.