The Indian Air Force conducts the large scale fire power and demonstration exercise “Vayu Shakti” at which location?

Introduction / Context:
Large scale exercises showcase the operational readiness and fire power of the Indian Armed Forces. “Vayu Shakti” is a major exercise conducted by the Indian Air Force to demonstrate its strike capability, precision weapons, and joint operations. The question asks you to identify where this exercise is conducted, a fact that appears frequently in defence and current affairs sections of competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The exercise is named “Vayu Shakti”.
• It is organised by the Indian Air Force.
• The task is to identify the location at which the exercise is held.
• Options include Hyderabad, Pokhran, Sonipat, Kolkata, and Jaisalmer.

Concept / Approach:
“Vayu Shakti” is traditionally held at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan. Pokhran is already well known for nuclear tests and for being a large field firing and testing range where the Army and Air Force conduct live fire demonstrations. By connecting the name “Vayu Shakti” with news images of aircraft and live fire over desert terrain, and by remembering Pokhran’s established role as a firing range, you can select the correct option confidently.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise “Vayu Shakti” as an Indian Air Force exercise focusing on air power and live firing. Step 2: Recall that news coverage of this exercise usually shows desert landscapes and mentions the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. Step 3: Compare this recollection with the options given. Step 4: Note that Pokhran is the only option that is an established firing range used for such demonstrations. Step 5: Select “Pokhran” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
As a verification step, think of other major firing ranges and their associated events. Hyderabad and Kolkata are urban centres without such large desert firing ranges. Sonipat is in Haryana and is not known for hosting pan India air power demonstrations. Jaisalmer is a desert town but “Vayu Shakti” is consistently reported at the Pokhran firing range specifically. This cross check among geography, media reports, and the nature of the exercise confirms that Pokhran is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Hyderabad: An important city with air bases but not known as the firing range for “Vayu Shakti”, so this is incorrect.
Sonipat: Hosts agriculture summits and is in Haryana; it is not associated with a large Air Force firing range, making this option wrong.
Kolkata: A metropolitan city in eastern India, again not connected with desert firing demonstrations or “Vayu Shakti”.
Jaisalmer: Close to desert ranges but the specific exercise is tied directly to the Pokhran firing range, not to the town of Jaisalmer in exam references, so this option is not the best answer.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may confuse different firing ranges in Rajasthan or generalise that any desert town in that region might host the exercise. Another mistake is to ignore the clear association built over multiple news cycles between “Vayu Shakti” and Pokhran. To avoid such pitfalls, it helps to create mental pairs such as “Pokhran nuclear tests and firing range” and then map related exercises like “Vayu Shakti” to that same location.

Final Answer:
The Indian Air Force conducts the “Vayu Shakti” exercise at the Pokhran firing range.