The Indian Air Force carried out joint exercises with the Indian Army on March 8, demonstrating operational readiness during a para-drop drill over Tehri Lake in Uttarakhand.

Photos and videos shared on the Air Force’s official handle on X showed troops performing combat free-fall and static line para-drops from aircraft above the lake. One clip captured soldiers jumping mid-air from the aircraft before deploying their parachutes moments later.

“On 08 Mar 26, #IAF aircraft carried out combat free-fall and static line para-drops over Tehri Lake in a joint ex with the Indian Army. The ex showcased seamless inter-service synergy and operational capability,” the Air Force said in its post.

This was not the first such joint drill by the two forces. In 2024, they successfully para-dropped a portable hospital — the Aarogya Maitri Health Cube — from 15,000 feet. The system, developed under the Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri, also known as Project BHISHM, is designed to set up trauma care facilities quickly in remote locations during emergencies.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the initiative aligns with the vision of Narendra Modi to deliver critical medical and relief supplies during disaster and humanitarian operations. The Indian Army’s Para Brigade played a key role in the exercise.

During the earlier mission, the Air Force deployed its Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft to airlift and accurately drop the medical unit at the designated location.

Operation Vayu Shakti

 The Indian Air Force recently carried out Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026 at the Pokhran Firing Range on February 27. The large-scale exercise simulated an integrated combat theatre and demonstrated the force’s strike capabilities.

The event was attended by Droupadi Murmu, Rajnath Singh and Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh.

Advanced aircraft including the Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, HAL Tejas and Dassault Mirage 2000 conducted precision strikes with guided missiles and bombs.

Helicopters such as the Boeing AH-64 Apache and Boeing CH-47 Chinook also carried out low-altitude firing drills, equipment transport and casualty evacuation operations.