This picture taken on Jan 10 shows a ceremony upon an arrival of Indian Air Force fighter aircrafts at the Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force Hyakuri Air Base for the Japan-India joint exercise in Omitama, Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. — JIJI Press/AFP
Bloomberg: Japan, India Hold First Joint Air Drill As China Concerns Grow
Japan and India held their first joint air drills in an area outside of Tokyo as both countries step up military exercises with other countries amid worries about China’s assertiveness.
About four F-2 and four F-15 fighters are expected to take part in the drills that started Monday and will run through around Jan. 26 at an airbase in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan’s Defense Ministry said.
While the two have trained together before in other countries, this is the first one-on-one training of its sort, it said.
The exercise comes as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida completed a trip this month to Italy, the UK, Canada and the US to bolster his country’s alliances to help deter China.
Japan is also a member of the Quad grouping that includes India, Australia and the US and is seen as a check on Beijing’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
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WNU Editor: Not many fighter jets are involved. About four F-2 and four F-15 fighters are expected to take part in the drills that started today. But China has taken notice …. Japan, India start fighter jet drills ‘with growing military ambitions instigated by US against China’ (Global Times).
Japan And India Held Their First Joint Air Drills Outside Of Tokyo Today
Japan and India hold first joint fighter jet exercise — DW
India-Japan defense ties enter new phase with first joint fighter drills — Japan Times
Japan, India begin 1st-ever joint fighter drill near Tokyo — Kyodo News