Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 wraps at Jodhpur with French Rafales and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in attendance
Jodhpur Air Force Station served as the centrepiece of India largest multinational air combat exercise this month, with Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 drawing the Indian Air Force, the French Air and Space Force, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the city. The exercise concluded amid significant media and diplomatic attention, while other Jodhpur stories included a Rajasthan High Court ruling on anti-ragging sanctions at NLU Jodhpur and a major infrastructure announcement by the Rajasthan Chief Minister.
🗳️ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends Tarang Shakti aerial display at Jodhpur
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Jodhpur on Saturday, 10 October 2026, to participate in activities associated with Exercise Tarang Shakti, the multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Indian Air Force at the Jodhpur Air Force Station. The Defence Minister announced his visit in advance via a post on X, stating he looked forward to attending the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026. During the visit, Singh was scheduled to witness an aerial display, participate in an exchange of mementos, and address the gathering. The Chief of Air Staff and other distinguished visitors were expected to arrive at the Station Auditorium at around 3:05 pm, with the CAS addressing the gathering at 3:10 pm, followed by a press conference at 3:15 pm. Ahead of the Defence Minister arrival, local administration and police stepped up security arrangements, with police officials conducting route inspections from the Air Force Station to Umaid Bhawan Palace to ensure smooth movement. Exercise Tarang Shakti highlights the Indian Air Force operational capabilities and provides a platform for media engagement and interaction with friendly foreign nations participating in the exercise. The exercise was scheduled to continue at the Jodhpur Air Force Station until 12 October 2026, as reported by IANS through Defence.in. [3]
🗳️ French Air and Space Force joins Tarang Shakti with Mission Pegase 26 Rafales
The French Air and Space Force arrived in Jodhpur to participate in Exercise Tarang Shakti as part of its seventh long-range air projection exercise, known as Mission Pegase 26. The mission ran from 8 September to 15 October 2026, with the stated aim of demonstrating the core capabilities of the French Air and Space Force, including the ability to rapidly project long-range air power anywhere in the world and defend France overseas territories or strategic interests. The seventh edition of Mission Pegase deployed a 300-strong aircrew along with four Rafale F4 aircraft, three A330 MRTT Phenix multi-role tanker transport aircraft, and two A400M Atlas transport aircraft. The mission covered a unique route of approximately 40,000 kilometres with nine stopovers, including the Jodhpur leg for participation in Tarang Shakti. Exercise Tarang Shakti is described in the French communique as a high-intensity multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Indian Air Force in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, representing a deepening of India-France bilateral defence cooperation. The French diplomacy mission in India published the announcement on 25 September 2026, updated on 6 October 2026. The exercise underscores growing alignment between India and France on defence and air combat training in an Indo-Pacific context. [8]
🎓 Rajasthan HC Chief Justice sets aside anti-ragging sanctions against NLU Jodhpur student
Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal, acting in his capacity as Chancellor of the National Law University in Jodhpur, has set aside anti-ragging sanctions imposed on a student of the university. The student had challenged the order of the Registrar following a UGC anti-ragging helpline complaint, an Anti-Ragging Squad inquiry, and an Anti-Ragging Committee finding of ragging under UGC regulations 3(b), 3(g), 3(h), and 5(b). The original sanction had suspended the student from the hostel for one year, debarred him from representing NLU Jodhpur in the 2026-27 academic year, restricted his access to sports, cultural, and library facilities, and barred any contact with the complainant or witnesses. Chief Justice Agrawal noted that the only finding against the student was his presence in the room where the alleged incident took place and held that he was not given a proper or reasonable opportunity to present his case. The order came in response to an appeal by the student under Regulation 9.1(c)(ii) of UGC anti-ragging regulations. The Registrar Dr Sunita Pankaj and committee chairperson Prof Shilohu Rao defended the original sanctions. The ruling was published by Bar and Bench on 13 October 2026 at 3:50 pm. [2]
🏢 Rajasthan CM inaugurates 1,013 projects worth Rs 2,824 crore
Rajasthan Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a total of 1,013 projects worth Rs 2,824 crore, according to a report published by ET Government under its smart infrastructure coverage. The large-scale initiative covers multiple sectors and aims to accelerate the pace of construction and service delivery across the state. The event reflects the state government emphasis on project-based governance as a signal of development activity and economic momentum for Rajasthan. Jodhpur, as one of Rajasthan major urban centres, is likely to be among the beneficiaries of projects announced under this umbrella initiative. With 1,013 projects spanning what is presumably a wide geographic range, the scheme is intended to have broad impact across urban and rural areas of the state. At Rs 2,824 crore, the aggregate investment represents a significant capital outlay for Rajasthan development pipeline in the current fiscal period. The Chief Minister decision to personally inaugurate and lay foundations for the projects in a single event signals the political priority accorded to infrastructure development in the state under the current government. The combined value of Rs 2,824 crore across more than a thousand projects covers a wide spectrum of development sectors in Rajasthan as reported by the Economic Times Government. [9]
Sources: [3] Defence.in · [8] La France en Inde · [2] Bar and Bench · [9] ET Government