Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita on Sunday flew a Tejas aircraft during the ongoing India-Japan bilateral air exercise Veer Guardian in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, describing the sortie as “a truly invaluable experience”.
Morita flew the Tejas alongside an Indian Air Force pilot, while IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flew a separate Tejas fighter jet during the formation sortie at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
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Air chiefs fly Tejas in formation
In the video, Air Chief Marshal Singh and General Morita can be seen taking off in the two Tejas jets as part of the formation sortie. The formation sortie lasted around 20-25 minutes.
The formation flew over the airfield before carrying out a peel-off manoeuvre for landing, an official said.
Morita praises Tejas Fighter
“As an aircraft born from indigenous defence capabilities, Tejas stands as a symbol of India's technological innovation and embodies the Make in India initiative,” Morita said.
{{/usCountry}}“As an aircraft born from indigenous defence capabilities, Tejas stands as a symbol of India's technological innovation and embodies the Make in India initiative,” Morita said.
{{/usCountry}}Morita said flying the Tejas gave him a first-hand appreciation of the efforts of the many people, both in the military and industry, who had contributed to the aircraft's development.
He also said the experience allowed him to appreciate the training environment available to the Indian Air Force and understand the value of Exercise Veer Guardian for the JASDF.
Morita said he would remember the sortie not only as an invaluable experience but also as a symbol of the trust, confidence and friendship built between the two air forces over the years.
“Veer Guardian is the second bilateral fighter exercise between our services. More importantly, it marks the first-ever deployment of Kōkū Jieitai fighters to India,” he said.
The JASDF chief said India and Japan had steadily expanded their defence cooperation and military exercises over the years. He recalled Shinyuu Maitri, the first bilateral exercise between the two air forces, which was held in India in 2018.
Morita said the deployment of Japanese fighters to India had been a long-standing aspiration, particularly after the historic first visit of Indian Air Force fighters to Japan three years ago.
‘Symbol of trust, confidence and friendship’
He said advanced training exercises help deepen mutual understanding, strengthen trust and enhance practical cooperation between the two air forces.
“It was with this belief in mind that we finally made it a reality together, bringing our defence cooperation to a new stage,” Morita said.
The two air chiefs later addressed the media, highlighting the role of such exercises in building interoperability and strengthening the defence partnership between India and Japan. India's Tejas and Japan's F-2A fighter aircraft, parked on the runway, formed the backdrop.
The IAF is participating with a mix of frontline combat aircraft, including indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Su-30 MKI and Rafale, while the JASDF is taking part with its F-2A fighter aircraft.
This is the first time JASDF fighter aircraft are operating from Indian soil as part of a bilateral exercise.