NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host a mega multilateral military exercise next year that was originally planned for October.

The exercise, 'Tarang Shakti', is likely to be held in the middle of 2024 as a number of participating air forces conveyed to the IAF that they will not be able to join the wargame if it is held this year, sources in the defence and military establishment said on Wednesday.

The exercise is expected to witness participation of around 12 air forces and the focus of the wargame will be to improve military cooperation and enhance interoperability, they said.

It will be the biggest air exercise being organised in India.

It is learnt that air forces of France, the UK, Australia, the US and Japan would participate in the exercise.

Six countries will participate in the Tarang Shakti with their aerial assets like fighter jets, military transport aircraft and mid-air refuellers while six other nations were invited as observers, the sources said.

In the last few months, the Indian Air Force has participated in a number of major overseas exercises.

In April, the Indian Air Force sent four Rafale jets, two C-17 aircraft and two IL-78 mid-air refuellers for a nearly three-week multinational air exercise at France's Mont-de-Marsan military base.

Four Rafale fighter aircraft carried out a "strategic" mission last month over the Indian Ocean region for more than six hours, in a significant demonstration of their long-range combat capabilities.

In April, the air forces of India and the US carried out Exercise Cope India in Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra.

The US deployed B1 Bomber jets and F-15 fighter aircraft besides other assets in the exercise.