New Delhi [India], April 20 : A frontline contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates to participate in Exercise Desert Flag-10, a high-profile multinational air combat exercise hosted by the UAE Air Force, an official press release by the Ministry of Defence stated.
The IAF is deploying its MiG-29 and Jaguar fighter aircraft for the duration of the exercise, which runs from April 21 to May 8, 2025.
Exercise Desert Flag brings together air forces from across the globe for joint training in advanced air combat operations. Alongside the Indian Air Force, this year's edition includes participants from Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the host nation UAE.
The presence of these nations reflects the scale and importance of the exercise as a platform for operational coordination and tactical exchange among partner air forces.
The primary objective of Desert Flag-10 is to conduct complex and diverse fighter engagements, promoting the exchange of operational knowledge and best practices. The exercise allows participants to sharpen their air combat capabilities in a realistic multinational environment.
By training together, the participating air forces aim to build mutual trust, improve interoperability, and strengthen joint response capabilities in the face of evolving global security challenges.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Air Force's participation underscores India's commitment to enhancing defence cooperation and deepening strategic ties with friendly nations, particularly in the West Asian region. Engaging in such high-value exercises reinforces the IAF's operational preparedness and strengthens India's role as a reliable partner in regional and international security frameworks.
This deployment follows recent high-level discussions between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and UAE's Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, held at South Block in New Delhi.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction over current defence cooperation and emphasised the need to scale up engagement to match progress in areas such as trade and business.
They highlighted training exchanges as a key pillar for advancing mutual understanding and further strengthening bilateral defence relations, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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