In news– Air Forces of India and the U.S. are set to conduct the Cope India exercise from April 10 to 21 at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal, with Japan as an observer.
About the exercise-
- Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at the air station in Gwalior.
- 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.
- The last edition of the the exercise was held in 2019.
- India’s Russia-made Sukhoi-30s will engage in dogfights with their American counterparts F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jets in this exercise.
- The Indian Air Force has recently been engaged in multiple multi-national exercises where the US has also participated including the EX Desert Flag in the UAE and Ex Cobra Warrior in the UK.
- Field training exercise focused on enhancing US-India cooperation by building on existing capabilities, aircrew tactics and force employment.
Source: The Hindu
