Exercise Veer Guardian: Rajnath Singh hails India-Japan defence milestone as Japanese fighters arrive for air-combat drills

New Delhi: The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, has described the first visit of Japanese fighter aircraft to India for Exercise Veer Guardian 2026 as a significant milestone in the countries’ defence partnership. The deployment brings Japan’s F-2A fighters to Jodhpur for training with Indian combat aircraft, advancing a military relationship that both governments see as important to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

“A significant milestone for India-Japan defence partnership!” Singh wrote on X on Monday, responding to a post by his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi. He said the maiden deployment reflected growing trust between the two countries and their shared commitment to regional peace and stability.

Referring to their discussions in New Delhi last month, Singh said reciprocal visits and exercises such as Veer Guardian strengthened bilateral defence cooperation. His remarks connected the deployment with the broader effort by New Delhi and Tokyo to translate their strategic partnership into closer working relationships between their armed forces.

Koizumi said the arrival of Japanese fighters fulfilled the objective of reciprocal fighter aircraft visits, following the Indian Air Force’s first such deployment to Japan three years ago. He recalled that, during his meeting with Singh last month, both sides had identified the training as an important initiative symbolizing their deepening defence relationship.

The Japanese minister also welcomed the steady expansion of cooperation through exchanges and joint training between frontline units. His remarks highlighted the importance of sustained interaction between operational personnel in building the relationship beyond ministerial meetings and formal agreements.

As RNA Media had reported earlier, Veer Guardian 2026 is being conducted at Air Force Station Jodhpur and in the surrounding airspace, with India’s defence ministry announcing a September 9–22 schedule. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating with Tejas LCA, Su-30MKI and Rafale fighters, while the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) has deployed F-2A aircraft.

Japan’s deployment comprises three F-2A fighters from the 8th Air Wing at Tsuiki Air Base and approximately 110 personnel. Its earlier announcement listed the exercise period as September 9–21, identifying air combat manoeuvring, improved tactical proficiency and greater mutual understanding as the principal elements.

Alongside flying missions, the programme includes mission planning conferences, exchanges between subject specialists and discussions on engineering practices and aerospace safety. These interactions are intended to improve operational coordination and help aircrew and support personnel understand one another’s procedures.

The second edition of Veer Guardian builds on the inaugural exercise held in Japan in January 2023, when Indian Su-30MKI aircraft trained with Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters. Hosting the Japanese contingent now extends that experience through a reciprocal deployment, giving both forces another opportunity to develop familiarity with each other’s aircraft and operating practices.

The exercise follows the August 20, 2026, defence ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, where Singh and Koizumi welcomed preparations for the first Japanese fighter visit and agreed to deepen cooperation across several fields. Their joint statement reaffirmed support for a free and open Indo-Pacific and opposition to attempts to change the status quo through force or coercion.

The wider agenda includes the shipborne Unicorn integrated communications antenna project and closer collaboration in defence research and technology. The ministers also agreed to establish a working group covering operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and industrial cooperation, giving the expanding military relationship a broader institutional framework.