US Air Force deploys F-35s for first combat exercise in India despite Russian S-400 purchase

Six U.S. Air Force F-35A fighters have deployed to Jodhpur for Tarang Shakti 2026, marking the first U.S. F-35 participation in a combat exercise in India. The aircraft are training alongside Indian and international forces while India continues to operate the Russian-made S-400 air-defence system. The article notes that no data have been released on S-400 radar modes, locations or performance against the F-35, so the exercise does not provide a basis for assessing the system's detection capability or broader sanctions policy.