JODHPUR, India — India and Japan are strengthening their defence partnership through a new bilateral air exercise that brings their frontline fighter aircraft together at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

The Veer Guardian 2026 exercise is scheduled from September 9 to September 22 and involves the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). India is participating with a combination of Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale fighter aircraft, while Japan is fielding its F-2A fighters.

The two-week engagement is designed not simply as a flying drill but as an opportunity for personnel from both air forces to develop a better understanding of each other’s operational procedures. The programme includes advanced missions, mission-planning discussions and exchanges between specialists.

Engineering and aerospace-safety personnel will also interact during the exercise, allowing both sides to share professional experience and improve coordination beyond the cockpit. According to India’s Ministry of Defence, these activities are intended to build greater operational synergy between the two air forces.

The exercise comes as New Delhi and Tokyo continue to expand their strategic and defence relationship. Recent reporting also confirmed that Japanese personnel and support aircraft had already begun arriving in Jodhpur ahead of the flying phase of the exercise.

For India, the participation of Tejas alongside Su-30MKI and Rafale provides an opportunity to operate its different fighter platforms in a multinational training environment. Japan’s deployment of the F-2A adds another dimension to the exercise and gives both sides an opportunity to develop familiarity with different operational practices.

Veer Guardian 2026 is also significant because it is being hosted in India. The first edition of the bilateral exercise was conducted in Japan in January 2023, making the Jodhpur edition another step in the evolution of direct air-force cooperation between the two countries.

Beyond individual training objectives, the exercise reflects the broader effort by India and Japan to deepen military-to-military engagement. Regular exchanges of this kind can help improve communication, tactical understanding and coordination between the two forces.

As the exercise continues through September 22, the focus will remain on professional interaction, advanced operational training and building stronger working relationships between Indian and Japanese air personnel.