India Joins Spain’s Ocean Sky 2025 as First Non-NATO Nation

In a landmark moment for India’s defence diplomacy, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has become the first non-NATO country to participate in Exercise Ocean Sky 2025, a high-intensity multinational air combat drill hosted by the Spanish Air Force. Held at Gando Air Base, Canary Islands, the exercise runs from October 20 to 31, 2025. This historic inclusion underscores India’s emergence as a credible aerospace power and reflects its growing strategic partnership with Spain and other NATO countries.

What Is Exercise Ocean Sky?

Ocean Sky is a prestigious annual air combat exercise conducted by Spain, traditionally involving NATO air forces. It focuses on,

• Advanced aerial combat tactics
• Joint mission planning
• Airspace interoperability
• Real-time combat scenario training

India’s participation marks a strategic breakthrough, as it demonstrates the IAF’s ability to operate alongside top Western air forces in complex and dynamic combat settings.

India’s Strategic Objectives

India’s participation in Ocean Sky 2025 serves several national defence goals,

• Operational Readiness: Enhancing the IAF’s capabilities in multi-national coalition warfare environments.
• Pilot Exposure: Offering Indian pilots access to cutting-edge combat training and tactics.
• Defence Diplomacy: Strengthening bilateral defence ties with Spain and deepening India’s role in global security architecture.
• Interoperability: Enabling joint planning and execution frameworks for future cooperative missions, including humanitarian and disaster relief.

This exercise follows similar engagements with other Western air forces, such as Red Flag (US) and Garuda (France), showing India’s expanding military engagements beyond its traditional partners.

Boost from Airbus C-295 Induction

• The Ocean Sky exercise comes soon after a key milestone in India–Spain defence cooperation — the induction of 16 Airbus C-295 tactical transport aircraft by the IAF.
• The final aircraft was delivered ahead of schedule on August 3, 2025, at Airbus’s Seville facility.
• The deal is valued at USD 2.5 billion, involving 56 aircraft, of which 40 will be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems under the Make in India initiative.

The C-295’s induction has enhanced India’s ability to,

• Conduct logistics and troop transport in tough terrains
• Support airborne operations
• Execute medical evacuations and disaster response

Growing India–Spain Defence Ties

India’s defence relationship with Spain has grown significantly in recent years,

• 2023: First C-295 handed over to India in Seville in presence of Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari
• 2025: 5th Joint Working Group on Defence Cooperation held in New Delhi
• Emphasis on joint projects, aerospace R&D, and indigenous production
• This strategic partnership extends India’s defence manufacturing footprint and builds credibility in the global aerospace and military technology landscape.