IAF Conducts Large-Scale Combat Drills Near India-Pak Border Amid Airspace Restrictions

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting large-scale combat exercises near the southern sector of the India-Pakistan International Border in Rajasthan from June 7 to June 8, as part of its routine operational preparedness. The drills involve advanced air assets including Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, alongside surveillance platforms and support systems, with restricted airspace to ensure safety during operations. While the Ministry of Defence has not officially linked the exercises to geopolitical tensions, the timing and location are significant given recent escalations between India and Pakistan following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. This attack led to reciprocal airspace restrictions, with India closing its airspace to Pakistani military and civilian flights from April 30 to May 23, following Pakistan's earlier restrictions on Indian flights. The situation remains tense along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir due to frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops, prompting Indian retaliatory actions under Operation Sindoor launched in response to the Pahalgam attack. These exercises underscore ongoing military preparedness amid heightened diplomatic and security frictions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.