Japanese Self‑Defense Force Touches Down in Jodhpur for Exercise Veer Guardian 2026

On the morning of September 5, two sleek Japanese C‑2 transport aircraft rolled into the tarmac of Air Force Station Jodhpur. The sight was a reminder of how quickly defence ties can turn a desert runway into a bustling hub of international cooperation.

Inside the aircraft were roughly 110 members of the Japan Air Self‑Defense Force (JASDF), including three F‑2A fighter jets from the 8th Air Wing stationed at Tsuiki Air Base. Their mission? To take part in the second edition of Exercise Veer Guardian 2026, a bilateral drill that runs from September 9 to September 22.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) noting the arrival, and added a few words about what the exercise hopes to achieve. In plain terms, it’s about polishing each other’s skills – air combat manoeuvring, joint tactics and, perhaps most importantly, learning to speak the same operational language.

Speaking for the Japanese side, Chief of Staff Takehiro Morita told Japan Today that the drills would be “a great opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and the relationship of trust.” He wasn’t wrong; the whole point of Veer Guardian is to build that trust, brick by brick, over countless sorties and de‑briefs.

Back in New Delhi, the atmosphere has been buzzing with similar gestures. Just a month earlier, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited India and sat down with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The two leaders pledged to expand cooperation across maritime security, the Indo‑Pacific arena and, of course, air power. Their talk underscored a shared belief that the region must stay free, open and stable.

All of this fits into the broader “Japan‑India Special Strategic and Global Partnership” – a mouthful, yes, but essentially a commitment to co‑operate on security, technology and trade. Exercises like Veer Guardian are the practical outworking of that partnership, turning policy on paper into real‑world coordination.

For the pilots and ground crews on the ground in Jodhpur, the days ahead will be a blend of intense flight drills, classroom briefings and, inevitably, a few moments of cultural exchange – think sushi on the mess hall table and a quick lesson in Hindi for the Japanese crew.

When the exercise wraps up on September 22, the runway will be empty again, but the relationships forged there will linger, feeding into future joint operations and perhaps even deeper strategic alignment between India and Japan.