A “clear example” of confidence in the Tejas aircraft, the head of the Japanese Air Force: Air Chief Marshal

Air Chief of Staff Air Marshal AP Singh (left) with Japan Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita (right) during the joint air exercise ‘Veer Guardian 2026’ at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on September 20, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, the Chief of the Air Staff, said on Sunday (20 September 2026) that the Tejas flight by Japan Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita was a “very clear example” of “faith and confidence” in the “domestic aircraft”.

“The defense aerospace industry and R&D is now set to a much higher level,” he said.

CAS Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, JASDF Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita and others during Exercise Veer Guardian-2026. | Photo credit: PTI

The chiefs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and JASDF flew together in the Tejas formation in Jodhpur, underscoring the growing operational cooperation between the two air forces amid the expanding Indo-Japanese defense partnership.

According to the IAF, Air Chief Marshal Singh was leading the formation in the fighter jet, while General Morita was flying the trainer aircraft with Group I Captain Samrat, Commanding Officer of the Tejas Squadron, as the captain.

Air Chief Singh said the India-Japan aviation partnership is based on “mutual respect, professional trust and shared commitment to peace and stability”. He described the synergy between the two air forces as “kizuna,” the Japanese word for an enduring bond forged through trust and support.

This is the second bilateral air combat exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. | Photo credit: PTI

General Morita described his Tejas fight as a “powerful symbol of trust, confidence and friendship” and said the bilateral engagement had moved beyond exercises aimed only at honing tactical capabilities.

He said increasingly sophisticated training strengthens both air forces to contribute to regional peace and stability, pointing to cooperation across exercises, leadership interactions, item exchanges and potentially the space domain.

The formation flew over the airfield before performing a peel-off maneuver to land.

The trip was part of the second annual Veer Guardian 2026 bilateral air exercise being held at Air Force Station Jodhpur from September 9 to 22. It gave General Morito an opportunity to try out the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft and its systems.

The IAF is participating in the exercise with Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale fighters, while the JASDF has brought F-2A fighters. For the first time, JASDF fighter jets operated from Indian soil as part of a bilateral exercise. The F-2A fighters were brought to Jodhpur from Tsuiki Air Base in Japan.

The exercise includes operational flying, advanced mission planning, expert exchanges and discussions on aviation engineering and safety. It will close on September 22, after which the JASDF contingent will return to Japan.

Published – 20 Sep 2026 19:24 IST