Rajnath Singh calls Japan’s Fighter Jet deployment for Veer Guardian a ‘Significant Milestone’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has termed the arrival of fighter planes in India for the exercise Veer Guardian 2026 as “significant milestone” in the ongoing steps of building a robust defence relationship between India and Japan.
Rajnath Singh post on X highlights how the first-ever visit of Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) fighter planes to India marks the widening confidence and mutual efforts towards peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region between New Delhi and Tokyo.
The Defence Minister also mentioned his “highly productive discussions with Japanese Defence Minister” during his meeting with him in New Delhi last month. Reiterating India’s New Delhi initiative, he further said the countries were continually deepening their strategic synergy, a process that would be further enhanced through exchanges and joint engagements like Exercise Veer Guardian.
Indian Air Force on Tuesday welcomed JASDF’s F-2 fighter jets for the exercise at Jodhpur.
The IAF said that taking the joint air exercise a step ahead, it underlined to strengthen operational interoperability and build up the capabilities of the two arms of the defence forces simultaneously. Interoperability, operational skills and the India-Japan defence partnership would all benefit from the exercise, the IAF’s media coordination centre said.
The exercise Veer Guardian 2026 is being run at the Air Force Station at Jodhpur and will have involvement of personnel and Fighter Aircraft of both countries. The exercise is designed to give the two air forces a chance to jointly exercise together to increase the coordination of complex air operations.
The bilateral exercise in the sea air is slated to go on till September 22 and the exercise is likely to further strengthen defence engagement between Japan and India.
The latest exercise will be delivered in the context of increased strategic partnerships between the two nations, with India and Japan both stressing the need for a free, open and stable security environment in the Indo Pacific.