NEW DELHI: With an aim to enhance their military ties, India and Japan are all set to hold the maiden joint air exercise, ‘Veer Guardian-2023’ involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan, from January 12 to 26.The IAF on Saturday said, “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.”
The inaugural 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 will exchange best practices. Experts from both sides will also hold discussions to share their expertise on varied operational aspects,” the IAF said.
The exercise will fortify the long-standing friendship and enhance the avenues of defence cooperation between the two air forces. It will be another step in deepening strategic ties and closer defence cooperation between the two countries.
It was during the second 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting held in Tokyo on September 8, 2022, that 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.
Japan is one of the six agreements with which it has signed logistics agreements. On September 9, 2020, the agreement between the governments of Japan and India concerning reciprocal provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces (so-called
“Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement” or ACSA) was signed. ACSA came into force on July 11, 2021.The logistics agreement adds endurance to the warships and aircraft of the two countries and will open the airbases and ports for the assistance of fuel, rest and ration and also basic maintenance.India has similar logistics agreements with the US, Singapore, France, South Korea, and Australia, and one with Russia is pending.
