Japan, India begin 1st-ever joint air combat drills

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan and India on Monday kick-started their first-ever joint air drills amid attempts to counter China’s expanding economic and military influence in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The Japanese Defense Ministry said in a statement that the joint air exercises will last 11 days, ending on Jan. 26, India’s Republic Day.

The joint drill was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic when it was decided during their inaugural “two-plus-two” – joint foreign and defense ministers’ meeting in New Delhi in Nov. 2019.

Japan and India are part of the US-led Quad, which includes Australia as well, a loose security alliance formed to contain China in the region.

Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported that the first-ever joint fighter jet drill between Japan and India is their “latest effort to bolster defense ties as they face China’s growing military power in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Japan’s four F-2 and four F-15 fighters will join the Indian Air Force’s four Su-30MKI fighters, and two C-17 transport aircraft during the air drill held around Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki province, northeast of the capital Tokyo.

An IL-78 aerial refueling tanker is also participating in the drill.

India is the fifth nation besides the US, UK, Australia, and Germany to conduct such bilateral air combat exercises with Japan.

In the past, Japanese ground and maritime self-defense forces also held joint drills with their Indian counterparts.