India- US air exercise Cope India-23 concludes

New Delhi: The sixth edition of Cope India-2023, an Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) concluded on April 24, 2023. 

The exercise was conducted over the last two weeks at Air Force Stations Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra.  

Cope India-2023 involved participation of frontline IAF aircraft like Rafale, Tejas, Su-30MKI, Jaguar, C-17 and C-130.  The USAF in turn had fielded the F-15 'Strike Eagle' fighter, C-130, MC-130J, C-17 and the B1B, strategic bomber aircraft.  Aircrew from the Japanese Air Self Defence Force also participated as observers.  

This joint exercise provided valuable opportunity for the participants of all countries to exchange ideas and imbibe best practices through interactions, exchanges & combined missions.

Cultural exchanges were also organised during the exercise to reinforce the bond of friendship and camaraderie. This exercise reaffirms the deep rooted commitment to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the two Air Forces boosting the inter-nation cooperation between the two largest democracies. 

The war-games, named Cope India, was first held in 2004. The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises. 

However, the exercise this time held after a gap of four years since it had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The last edition was held in 2019. 

The timing of the exercise with its participation is also crucial in a way that F-15 fighter jet is one of the competitors in the Indian Air Force's planned competition for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft.

(Defence Watch– India's Defence News centre that focuses on Defence Manufacturing, Defence Technology, Strategy and Military affairs is on Twitter. Follow us here and stay updated.)