Your iPad Air5 has a USB-C port - and would have been supplied with both an Apple 20W AUSB-C Power Adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Never force a connector to mate - as this may cause damage to the USB port itself. If connectors do not easily “mate”, something is wrong. If your original cable will mate easily with your iPad, but the new cable does not, set aside the new cable.
Is the new cable Apple branded, or something else?
If purchasing a new cable, avoid cheap or uncertified cables. Cheap cables are false economy; the cables may not incorporate essential active electronics that are present in certified cables. Uncertified cables may also have connectors that are not manufactured to the appropriate mechanical tolerances - leading to poor and/or impossibly tight connections.
Also consider that USB-C cables are often incorrectly perceived as all being the same. USB-C cables technically differ in their capabilities, some supoorting higher data rates, carry different services and/or have different power ratings.
In summary, always purchase good quality branded/certified cables.