The World Is Watching! India's Rafale Jets Enter Australia's Biggest War Games

India's Rafale fighter jets have arrived in Darwin, Australia , to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 , marking the first-ever deployment of the French-origin fighters in the Royal Australian Air Force's premier multinational air combat exercise. The milestone highlights India's expanding defence cooperation with Australia and its growing role in Indo-Pacific security.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent includes four Rafale fighter aircraft, two C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft , and more than 120 Air Warriors . According to the High Commission of India in Canberra, the deployment reflects India's commitment to strengthening military partnerships, enhancing interoperability and deepening operational coordination with friendly nations.

Scheduled from July 20 to August 7 , the exercise will be conducted across RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley . This year's edition will feature around 100 military aircraft and over 2,500 personnel from 20 countries , making it one of the largest and most complex editions of the exercise. Since its inception in 1983 , Pitch Black has evolved into the Royal Australian Air Force's flagship international combat training exercise.

The 2026 edition also brings together some of the world's most advanced fighter aircraft. It marks the debut of Japan's F-35 Lightning II fighters and Indonesia's T-50I Golden Eagle jets, while Finland and Sweden are participating with embedded personnel for the first time. Air forces from countries including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and India will take part in flying operations.

The IAF said the biennial exercise provides an important platform to enhance interoperability, exchange best practices and improve combat readiness with partner air forces. Over the next three weeks, Indian personnel will train in complex air combat missions aimed at sharpening operational skills and strengthening long-term military partnerships.

Ahead of reaching Australia, an IAF IL-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft supported the Rafales during their transit through Indonesian airspace, operating from Surabaya's Juanda Airport . The Indian Embassy in Jakarta acknowledged Indonesia's support for the mission.

The deployment is another significant milestone in the growing India-Australia strategic partnership . While the IAF has previously participated in Pitch Black with Su-30 MKI fighters, the arrival of the Rafale underscores India's increasing confidence in deploying its frontline combat aircraft alongside leading global air forces.