Two USAF F-15 Eagles and two IAF MIG-27 Floggers flying in formation during Cope India 2004.
A pair of Su-30Ks and Mirage 2000s from the IAF, flying alongside two USAF F-15s during Cope India 2004.

Cope India Exercise are a series of international Air Force exercises between the Indian Air Force and the United States Air Force conducted on and over Indian soil. The first such exercise, which required many months of preparation, was conducted at the air force station in Gwalior from February 16 through February 27, 2004, with the US Air Force withdrawing troops and aircraft on February 27. The exercise included flight tests, practice and demonstrations as well as lectures on subjects related to aviation. There were also media functions and social interactions among troops of the two countries. After the event was over, the Indian Air Force indicated that "[t]he mutual respect and bonhomie that developed between members of the two sides have cemented a firm foundation for moving ahead towards higher bilateralism."[1] According to press reports, representatives of the United States found it a "positive experience" that led to the re-evaluation of some assumptions about US air tactics.[2][3] The exercise was repeated in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2018 and 2023.[4][5][6][7]

The exercises allow US pilots to go up against Russian Su-30 and French Mirages.[8]

In Cope India 2018, Col Daryl Insley of USAF said while they learn from the IAF, the Indian force also learns from them. Commending the IAF's professionalism, he said, "Their capabilities are equal to how we operate".[9]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cope India.
  1. ↑ "Exercise Cope India 04". Indian Air Force, National Informatics Centre. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  2. ↑ Cortes, Lorenzo (26 March 2004). "Air Force has positive impression From Cope India 04 Exercise, plans training changes". Defense Daily International. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  3. ↑ Cortes, Lorenzo (21 May 2004). "Cope India 04 led some in Air Force to take a 'Step Back' regarding F-15C tactics". Defense Daily. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  4. ↑ Roy, Amitava; WB Kalaikunda (November 2007). "Cope India 05 takes-off, Marxists demonstrate". Outlook India. Press Trust of India. Archived from the original on 28 April 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  5. ↑ Gupta, Jayanta (20 November 2005). "Cope India 05: Eyes on Indian skies". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  6. ↑ Svan, Jennifer H. (17 November 2005). "Cope India '06: Fast-paced and full of firsts". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  7. ↑ Capt. Genieve David of 13th Air Force Public Affairs (28 October 2009). "Cope India dubbed a success".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Nadkarni, Vidya (21 January 2010). Strategic Partnerships in Asia: Balancing Without Alliances. Routledge. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-135-26525-0.
  9. ↑ "Indian, US air force learn from each other at COPE India 2018". The Economic Times.
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