A 34-member delegation from the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) Command and General Staff Course visited India from 4 to 9 October as part of a Foreign Study Tour aimed at strengthening the long-standing defence partnership between the two countries.

During the visit, the delegation engaged with representatives of the Indian Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), reflecting the growing emphasis both nations place on defence cooperation, military professionalism and strategic coordination.

The Japanese officers also visited the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and the Wargame Research and Development Centre (WARDEC), where they received detailed briefings on India’s defence capabilities, military training practices, operational concepts and emerging technologies.

The program provided the visiting delegation with insights into India’s ongoing efforts to modernise its armed forces, enhance indigenous defence development and integrate advanced technologies into military planning and operations.

In addition to defence-related engagements, the delegation was introduced to India’s cultural heritage, further contributing to people-to-people ties and mutual understanding between the two countries.

The visit comes amid steadily expanding India-Japan security cooperation across land, air and maritime domains, driven by shared interests in maintaining peace, stability and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

The growing defence relationship was also evident last month when the bilateral air exercise Veer Guardian 2026 concluded at Air Force Station Jodhpur. The exercise enhanced interoperability between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF), strengthening operational coordination between the two air forces.

India fielded a diverse range of combat aircraft during the exercise, including the Su-30MKI, Rafale and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft TEJAS, while Japan participated with its F-2A fighter aircraft.

Further momentum was added on 22 September when Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians from the Liberal Democratic Party led by Taro Kono in New Delhi.

The discussions focused on expanding bilateral defence technology collaboration, increasing joint military exercises and enhancing regional security cooperation to support peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific.

The latest military exchanges underscore the increasingly strategic nature of India-Japan relations, with both countries continuing to broaden cooperation in defence technology, operational training, military-to-military engagement and regional security initiatives.

Agencies