A contingent of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has arrived at Air Force Station Jodhpur ahead of Exercise Veer Guardian 2026, marking the start of preparations for the second edition of the bilateral fighter exercise between India and Japan.
The Indian Air Force confirmed on September 5 that two JASDF C-2 transport aircraft touched down at Jodhpur, bringing the Japanese contingent for the exercise. Veer Guardian 26 will be conducted between the Indian Air Force and the JASDF from September 9 to 22, 2026, with training aimed at improving interoperability, operational coordination and mutual understanding between the two services.
This year’s exercise carries particular significance because Japanese fighter aircraft will operate in India for the first time as part of Veer Guardian. Japan plans to deploy three F-2A fighters, while the Indian side is expected to field Su-30MKI aircraft for joint air-combat training and associated missions.
The deployment reverses the setting of the inaugural Veer Guardian exercise held in Japan in January 2023, when Indian Su-30MKIs trained alongside Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters. Holding the second edition at Jodhpur therefore represents another step in the steadily expanding operational relationship between the two air forces.
The exercise comes amid broader efforts by India and Japan to deepen defence cooperation through increasingly complex bilateral training, greater service-to-service exchanges and closer coordination across the Indo-Pacific.
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