India will hold military exercises with Japan this month in Mizoram with both Army and Air forces joining in separate wargames.
‘Exercise Dharma Guardian-2019’ involving Indian and Japanese land armies will be conducted at the Eastern Command’s Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram between October 19 and November 2.
The joint exercise will cover platoon-level joint training on counter terrorism operations in jungle and urban settings.
The Eastern Command of the Indian Army, headquartered in Kolkata, has announced that Indian and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) comprising 25 soldiers each, will participate in the exercise to share experience gained during various counter terrorism operations in the respective countries.
The Eastern Command spokesperson said that the ‘Exercise Dharma Guardian’ is an annual training event which is being conducted in India since last year.
This is the second time the exercise is being held. Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, this military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ with Japan is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of global terrorism.
It is believed that this joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and JGSDF.
During the first edition of the exercise in 2018, the focus was on training and equipping the contingents to undertake counter insurgency in urban and jungle settings.
The Indian Air Force will be carrying out a joint military exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ with Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) from October 17 to 23.
The exercise will be held at Air Force Station, Arjan Singh in Panagarh town in West Bengal.
“C-130 J aircraft of the Special Operations Squadron of IAF and C-130 H of Tactical Airlift Squadron of JASDF will participate in the exercise,” stated an official press release.
The focus of the exercise will be to undertake Joint Mobility and Tactical interoperability among the two forces.
India is increasing its military cooperation with Japan with the latter now a regular participant in the Malabar exercises involving the navies of India, US and Australia.
The Quad grouping has now been upgraded recently to foreign ministers level.