INDIA. Mumbai: With a view to promoting Air Defence cooperation between the countries, India and Japan are all set to hold the joint Air Exercise, “Veer Guardian-2023” involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Hyakuri Air Base, Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan..
The exercise will be held from January 12 to January 26. The Indian contingent participating in the air exercise will include four Su-30 MKI, two C-17, and one IL-78 aircraft, while the JASDF will be participating with four F-2 and four F-15 aircraft.
During the second 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministerial meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, on September 8, 2022, India and Japan agreed to step up bilateral defence cooperation and engage in more military exercises, including holding the first joint fighter jet drills, reflecting the growing security cooperation between the two sides.
This exercise will thus be another step in deepening strategic ties and closer defence cooperation between the two countries, according to an official statement.
The first exercise will include various aerial combat drills between the two Air Forces. They will undertake multi-domain air combat missions in a complex environment and exchange best practices.
Experts from both sides will also hold discussions to share their expertise on varied operational aspects. Exercise “Veer Guardian” will fortify the longstanding bond of friendship and enhance the avenues of defence cooperation between the two Air Forces.
Air, military, and naval exercises regularly take place between both countries. They include: Ex Dharma Guardian, a joint military exercise between India and Japan, and JIMEX, a bilateral maritime exercise between both countries.
The JIMEX-18 consists of a four-day harbour phase and a four-day sea phase.The exercise comprises professional and social interactions among the ships’ crew, sporting fixtures, and operational planning for the sea phase.
Ex Dharma Guardian is a joint exercise between the Indian Army and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force that takes place every year.It provides intensive joint military training, providing a unique opportunity to achieve synergy between both nations’ armed forces, with the goal of strengthening the timeless bonds of India-Japan friendship.
The exercise also provides a platform for professional and cultural learning as well as social interactions, which in-turn broadens their horizons towards knowledge and cooperation aiming towards coexistence as one in the Indo-Pacific Region.
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