Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita flew an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet during the ongoing India-Japan bilateral air exercise Veer Guardian in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur on Sunday. Morita flew the aircraft with an Indian Air Force pilot and described the sortie as “a truly invaluable experience”.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh also flew a separate Tejas fighter during the formation sortie at Air Force Station Jodhpur. The two Tejas jets took off together, flew over the airfield, and then performed a peel-off manoeuvre for landing. The formation sortie lasted around 20-25 minutes, according to an official.

Speaking about his experience, Morita praised Tejas as an example of India’s indigenous defence capabilities. “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.

He said flying the fighter gave him a firsthand understanding of the work military and industry personnel did during the aircraft’s development. Morita also said the sortie helped him understand the training environment available to the Indian Air Force and the importance of Exercise Veer Guardian for the JASDF.

Morita said he would remember the flight not only as an invaluable experience but also as a symbol of the trust, confidence and friendship 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 noted that India and Japan have steadily expanded their defence cooperation and military exercises. He also recalled Shinyuu Maitri, the first bilateral exercise between the two air forces, held in India in 2018.

Morita said deploying Japanese fighters to India had long been a goal, particularly after Indian Air Force fighters made their first historic visit to Japan three years ago. He said advanced training exercises help deepen mutual understanding, strengthen trust and improve 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 and highlighted the role of bilateral exercises in improving interoperability and strengthening defence ties. India’s Tejas and Japan’s F-2A fighter aircraft were parked on the runway during the interaction.

The Indian Air Force is participating in the exercise with a mix of frontline combat aircraft, including indigenous LCA Tejas, Su-30 MKI and Rafale fighters. The JASDF has deployed its F-2A fighter aircraft. The exercise marks the first time Japanese fighter aircraft are operating from Indian soil as part of a bilateral exercise.