Indian and Japanese Air Chiefs Fly Indigenous LCA Tejas in Veer Guardian-2026

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-21 19:48:00

Marking a historic milestone in bilateral military interoperability and regional strategic deterrence, the ongoing joint air exercise "Veer Guardian-2026" between India and Japan reached a high point on Sunday as the respective service heads took to the skies together. Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh and Chief of Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force General Takehiro Morita flew a high-profile sortie in India's indigenously designed and manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas from Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan. The joint mission delivers a resolute signal of mutual defense alignment, underscoring the deep operational camaraderie shared by the two Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) partners and opening a transformative chapter in bilateral aerospace training and technical exchanges across the strategic Indo-Pacific corridor.

Debut of Japanese F-2A Jets Alongside Rafale and Sukhoi-30 MKI Fleet

The operational scope of Veer Guardian-2026—which commenced on September 9 and is scheduled to conclude on September 22—features a high-tempo tactical fleet engaging in complex air-to-air combat simulations, close air support, and interception maneuvers. The Indian Air Force has deployed an elite mix of frontline air superiority platforms including the indigenous LCA Tejas, Russian-origin Sukhoi-30 MKI multirole fighters, and French-origin Rafale jets. For the first time in bilateral defense engagements on Indian soil, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has introduced its advanced Mitsubishi F-2A fighter aircraft to participate in joint theater operations. This maiden operational deployment of Japanese F-2A jets outside East Asian operational spheres demonstrates the expanding tactical trust between New Delhi and Tokyo, allowing combat aviators from both air wings to benchmark complex air warfare doctrines, tactical datalink procedures, and multi-regime electronic warfare protocols under realistic combat parameters.

Operational Synergy: Paving the Way for Advanced Joint Training and Strategic Trust

Reflecting on the successful sortie, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh highlighted that General Morita's direct evaluation flight aboard the LCA Tejas demonstrates unwavering trust in India's domestic aviation manufacturing ecosystem and its flagship indigenous fighter platform. The IAF Chief stressed that such reciprocal operational experiences pave the way for expansive future defense jointness, particularly across specialized fighter pilot instructional modules, cross-platform conversions, and multilateral air exercises. Describing the bilateral drills as a clear manifestation of a shared, open Indo-Pacific security vision, Air Chief Marshal Singh affirmed that when two professional air arms train, fly, and analyze tactical outcomes alongside each other, it significantly sharpens bilateral combat readiness and cements collective stability across vital international airspace.

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