Exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2023’

Exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2023’

• From January 12 to January 26, India and Japan will conduct their first-ever bilateral aviation exercise as a result of their expanding defence ties and growing concerns regarding China's military buildup in the Indo-Pacific.

About the exercise:

• The first-ever bilateral combat air exercise between India and Japan will be called Veer Guardian 23.
• The Japanese air bases of Hyakuri and Iruma will host this 10-day exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF).
• It will also be the first time a female fighter pilot from the Indian Air Force has participated in aerial wargames outside of India.
• The Indian and Japanese air forces will perform a number of aerial combat drills during the maiden iteration of the bilateral air exercise.
• At Japan's Hyakuri air base, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) will participate in the exercise "Veer Guardian-2023."
• At the drill, the IAF will deploy four Su-30 MKI jets, two C-17 planes, and one IL-78 plane.
• 4 F-2 and 4 F-15 aircraft from the JASDF will take part.

Features:

• To allow the air warriors to share best practices, the joint exercise will also include multi-domain air combat missions in a challenging environment. A debate between specialists from both sides will be held in order to share knowledge on various operational topics.
• During the second 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting, which was held in Tokyo, Japan in 2022, the decision was made to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries. This decision led to the holding of exercise Veer Guardian 2023.

Significance of the exercise:

• This first exercise's goal is to improve the two air forces' defence relationships and mutual understanding. In order to better prepare the JASDF for prospective armed conflicts, it also aims to improve its tactical capabilities.
• Exercise Veer Guardian, which will be another step toward tighter defense cooperation and deeper strategic ties between India and Japan, will highlight the two countries' expanding security co-operation. The collaborative training will strengthen the two Air Forces' long-standing friendship.
• It will encourage India and Japan's collaboration in air defence.
• It will strengthen the long-standing friendship between the two air forces and expand the possibilities for defense collaboration.

What are the other defense drills of Japan and India?

• The Dharma Guardian exercise between the soldiers,
• SHINYUU Maitri between the air forces, and
• JIMEX between the navies is now taking place between India and Japan. The navies of the two nations also regularly engage in transit drills with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.
• Since 2015, Japan has participated in the India-US Malabar naval military exercise. Australia is included in this exercise. The QUAD alliance, made up of these four nations, is presently attempting to prevent any "coercion" in the Indo-Pacific.
• In 2022, Japan participated in the Indian Navy's Milan Exercise for the first time. The Indian Navy has been conducting the Milan exercise, a biennial multinational naval exercise, near the Andaman Sea since 1995.