Tejas, Rafale and Su-30MKI Take Part in India-Japan Veer Guardian 2026 Exercise.
Veer Guardian 2026: India-Japan Air Force Exercise.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) have concluded their latest bilateral air exercise, Veer Guardian 2026, after 14 days of joint training at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
The exercise ended on 22 September and brought together fighter aircraft, aircrew and ground personnel from the two countries for a series of flying missions and professional exchanges.
The exercise was designed to improve interoperability between the two air forces — in simple terms, their ability to operate and communicate effectively alongside each other — while providing both sides with an opportunity to understand each other’s operational methods.
The IAF deployed a mix of Su-30MKI, Rafale and indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighters. Japan participated with its F-2A fighter aircraft.
The exercise is part of the broader defence engagement between India and Japan and provides an opportunity for both air forces to train in a structured environment while sharing operational experience.
Advanced flying missions involving multiple aircraft
Over the two-week exercise, Indian and Japanese personnel took part in a range of advanced flying activities.
The training included within-visual-range combat missions, in which participating fighter aircraft practise engagements at relatively close distances, as well as coordinated multi-aircraft missions.
Such exercises allow pilots to train in situations where coordination, communication and situational awareness are particularly important.
For the participating air forces, the value of a bilateral exercise is not limited to the flying sorties themselves. Operating alongside another country’s aircraft requires personnel to understand different procedures, communication practices and approaches to mission planning.
This makes interoperability a central objective of exercises such as Veer Guardian.
Veer Guardian 2026: India-Japan Air Force Exercise.
Senior commanders fly India’s Tejas fighter
The exercise also included a high-level visit on Distinguished Visitor’s Day.
General Takehiro Morita, Chief of Staff of the JASDF, and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, visited Air Force Station Jodhpur.
The two senior commanders also flew aboard India’s indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft.
The participation of the two air chiefs in the exercise highlighted the importance attached to the India-Japan air engagement and provided an opportunity to observe the training activities directly.
Tejas is India’s indigenously developed light combat aircraft and has become an important element of the country’s efforts to expand domestic aerospace and defence capabilities.
Ground training was equally important
While fighter aircraft and flying missions attracted much of the attention, a significant part of Veer Guardian 2026 took place on the ground.
Indian and Japanese personnel conducted Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, operational discussions and mission-planning conferences.
They also held engineering interactions, maintenance-related exchanges and aerospace safety briefings.
These activities are important because successful military operations depend on much more than the performance of aircraft and pilots. Maintenance teams, engineers, planners and safety personnel all play crucial roles in keeping aircraft operational and ensuring missions can be conducted safely.
The exchanges gave personnel from both countries an opportunity to compare procedures and discuss practical experiences.
According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, the interactions allowed the participating contingents to gain insight into each other’s best practices and understand the capabilities and approaches developed by the two air forces.
Building interoperability between India and Japan
Interoperability was one of the central themes of Veer Guardian 2026.
When two air forces train together, they do not necessarily use identical aircraft, systems or procedures. India and Japan, for example, operate different fighter fleets, meaning exercises provide an opportunity for personnel to learn how another air force plans and conducts missions.
Repeated training can help build familiarity between personnel and improve coordination during future bilateral or multinational activities.
For India and Japan, this also has a wider strategic dimension. The two countries have developed increasingly close defence ties, with military exercises providing practical opportunities to strengthen their security relationship.
Veer Guardian therefore serves both an operational and relationship-building purpose, bringing together personnel who can develop professional familiarity while training in demanding air combat scenarios.
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Exercise concludes with focus on future cooperation
The conclusion of Veer Guardian 2026 marks another step in the continuing air force-to-air force engagement between India and Japan.
The Indian Ministry of Defence described the exercise as a demonstration of the enduring friendship and professional camaraderie between the two air forces.
The 14-day engagement combined fighter training with mission planning, technical discussions, maintenance exchanges and safety activities. This broad approach means the benefits of the exercise extend beyond individual flying missions.
With Indian Su-30MKI, Rafale and Tejas fighters operating alongside Japan’s F-2A aircraft, Veer Guardian 2026 provided both sides with experience of working together across different platforms and operational practices.
The exercise’s conclusion at Jodhpur consequently represents not an end to the defence engagement, but another stage in India’s and Japan’s continuing effort to deepen cooperation between their air forces and strengthen the wider strategic partnership between the two countries.
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