1st Deployment Of Japanese Fighter Jets To India Planned for ‘Veer Guardian 26’ Under New Maritime Pact

India and Japan recently signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, while confirming the historic first-ever deployment of Japanese fighter aircraft to India for the upcoming ‘Veer Guardian 26’ air exercise.

The agreement was finalised during bilateral talks in New Delhi between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

The new Memorandum of Arrangement aims to boost maritime and defence cooperation between the two countries and transform their relationship from periodic training exercises into an operational framework, through the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

The pact aims to protect the Sea Lines of Communication across the Indo-Pacific. Both nations will work together to enhance their Maritime Domain Awareness, Search and Rescue operations, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief across critical sea lanes.

Indian Warships could receive maintenance and repairs at Japanese shipyards, make port calls, access their logistics and also defence maintenance facilities and vice versa.

The pact also places an emphasis on defence-industrial cooperation and technology transfer. India and Japan agreed to explore joint initiatives in naval shipbuilding, mine countermeasures, and the leverage of Indian manufacturing units under the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

A highlight of this defence technology partnership is the installation of Japan’s stealthy UNICORN (NORA-50) integrated communications antenna system on Indian Navy vessels.

Both defence ministers agreed to expand the scope and complexity of future exercises, including the Dharma Guardian and naval JIMEX.

The countries will also focus on the development of unmanned systems, their integration and joint special forces training.

New Delhi and Tokyo have established a joint Working Group led by senior director-general-level officials to make these aspirations a reality. This body will oversee operational, intelligence, and defence-industrial initiatives under the pact.