NEW DELHI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- India will begin one of its biggest air combat exercises from Sunday, officials said.
During the two-week Gaganshakti exercise, the Indian Air Force will mobilize 1,100 aircraft, including Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets and mid-air refuellers, to check its operational preparedness for any eventuality, officials said.
"It's for the first time the efficacy and integration of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft in the operational matrix of Indian Air Force is planned," spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee told the media.
The Indian Air Force's exercise will also focus on the flexible use of airspace and joint operations with the Indian Army and Indian Navy, officials said.
"Concepts of accelerated operations, network-centric operations, long range missions with concentrated weapon releases across all air to ground ranges in India and inter-valley troop transfer as well as joint operations with Navy and Army will all be validated," Banerjee added.