IAF and Japan’s JASDF Begin Veer Guardian 2026 Air Exercise at Jodhpur

The Indian Air Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will conduct Exercise Veer Guardian 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur from September 9 to 22, bringing together frontline combat aircraft from both countries for two weeks of advanced air combat training.

The IAF will field a mixed fighter package comprising the indigenous LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale. Japan will participate with the Mitsubishi F-2A, giving the exercise a diverse combination of aircraft with different operational roles, sensor suites and combat doctrines.

The 14-day exercise will centre on advanced operational missions designed to improve coordination between the two air forces. Crews will train in joint mission planning and execution while gaining greater familiarity with each other’s tactics and procedures.

The programme will also include mission-planning conferences and subject-matter expert exchanges. Technical personnel from both sides will interact on engineering and aerospace-safety issues, extending the engagement beyond flying operations.

Veer Guardian has become one of the key bilateral air exercises between India and Japan as defence cooperation between the two countries expands across the Indo-Pacific.

The participation of the F-2A at Jodhpur is notable because it gives Indian pilots direct operational exposure to one of Japan’s principal multirole fighters. For the JASDF, the exercise provides experience operating alongside three different IAF combat platforms, including the Rafale and the indigenous Tejas.

Large-force exercises of this kind allow air forces to test mission planning, communication procedures, tactical coordination and aircraft integration in a controlled environment. They also help identify differences in operating methods that must be addressed when forces from different countries work together.

India and Japan have steadily expanded military engagement in recent years, with cooperation extending across the air, maritime and land domains. Veer Guardian 2026 adds another operational layer to that relationship by concentrating specifically on combat aviation and interoperability.

The exercise will conclude on September 22 after completing the planned flying, technical and professional exchanges at Jodhpur.