IAF to join multinational Blue Flag exercise in Israel ?
According to reports from New Delhi, the Indian Air Force would possibly participate in the biennial Blue Flag multinational exercise, organised by the Israeli Government. This largescale exercise, similar in concept to the USAF’s Red Flag series, will reportedly involve some 100 aircraft from seven countries, including France, Germany, the USA, Poland, Greece and Italy. While it is unclear presently whether or not the IAF will be sending aircraft or simply observers, Indian involvement with a multi-lateral exercise in Israel is nonetheless seen as strategically significant in light of Indo-Israeli relations, IDF-IAF ties, and India’s broader foreign policy imperatives.