Jodhpur, Sep 12 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the 'Tarang Shakti' Exercise is aimed at enhancing operational coordination among friendly countries.

He said this in Jodhpur on Thursday while attending the multi-country defence exercise.

Seven countries -- the US, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE and Greece -- participated and 16 other nations were observers.

Congratulating the IAF officers and stakeholders for organising such a major event in the country, Rajnath Singh said, "'Tarang Shakti' is aimed at enhancing operational coordination among friendly countries."

"After nearly 60 years, such a big tactical exercise has been organised in the skies of India. First of all, I congratulate the Indian Air Force and all the stakeholders associated with this exercise for conducting this exercise," he said while speaking at the event.

He also recalled how the IAF transformed itself after the country's independence.

"We got independence in 1947. I was told that at that time, i.e. after partition, our Air Force had only six squadrons of two types of aircraft. Similarly, the rest of the war equipment was also very old and worn out and in limited quantity. But today, with the best and most modern aircraft from around the world, and next-generation equipment, the Indian Air Force has transformed itself."

The Defence Minister also added that the defence sector was moving ahead with the resolve of "Self-reliant" India.

"Till some time ago, India was seen only as an importer country in terms of arms and equipment, but today India exports arms and equipment to about 90 countries. There are many such examples which tell the golden story of the evolution of our Air Force and defence sector. Our Air Force and our defence sector are moving ahead rapidly with the new resolve of self-reliant India," he said.

Rajnath Singh added that the IAF has been known for its strength and valour since its inception.

"Whenever the country needed it, the Air Force faced that situation bravely and enhanced the pride of the nation by demonstrating its strength. The country's defence sector has taken strong steps towards indigenisation in the manufacture of weapons, platforms and aircraft. Today, we have become self-sufficient to a large extent in things like light combat aircraft, censors, radars and electronic warfare, and we are constantly striving to move ahead in these areas."

The Defence Minister also termed the 'Tarang Shakti' exercise as a landmark event on Friday which allows remembering the journey of the IAF so far.

"It has been more than 75 years since our country got independence. Today's landmark event, on the one hand, is an opportunity to celebrate the grand achievements of the Indian Air Force so far, and on the other hand, it also allows us to remember its journey so far. Today, we are not only the world's fastest-growing economy, but our Armed Forces are also considered one of the most powerful in the world," he said.

Rajnath Singh also called the collaborative learning approach the need of the hour and said, "The Indian Air Force, or the Air Force of any country, is a technology-intensive force; and you all are well aware of the speed at which technology is changing in today's times. In such a rapidly changing scenario, moving forward with a collaborative learning approach is the need of the hour; and through 'Tarang Shakti', you all are moving forward with strong wings in this direction."

"'Tarang Shakti' has been organised in two phases. Its first phase was organised in Sulur, while its second phase is being organised in Jodhpur. When any exercise takes place on such a large scale, the participating countries learn a lot from each other. When an exercise of such complexity and magnitude takes place, soldiers with different work cultures, different air combat experiences and warfighting principles learn a lot from each other," he added.

The IAF teams performed amazing stunts in the sky with Suryakiran, Sarang, Indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft and Sukhoi-30 in the presence of the Defence Minister.

It needs to be mentioned here that it is the last day of the Tarang Shakti exercise in which seven countries participated.

Earlier, fighter jets like Prachand, Surya Kiran, Sarang and helicopters made different formations in the air show which started at the Jodhpur airbase at 11 a.m.

Rajnath Singh also inaugurated the Defence Aviation Expo on Thursday.

Defence equipment made with new technology, including indigenous weapons, is being showcased in the expo which will be held till September 14.

/IANS