Correct Answer : Option (A) - India and Japan
The Indian Air force (IAF) is set to hold a bilateral air training exercise, called Veer Guardian-2023, with the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF).
* Announced by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 7 January 2023, the joint exercise will be conducted at Hyakuri Air Base in Japan.
* It is scheduled to take place between 12 and 26 January 2023.
* The training is being organised to strengthen air defence cooperation between the two nations.
* The decision to enhance bilateral defence cooperation and address the emerging security needs of the two countries was made during the second 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, in September 2022.
* The countries also planned to organise their first joint air combat jet exercise.
* The two-week training will involve the participation of various air assets from the IAF, including two C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft and one Ilyushin Il-78 in-flight refuelling tanker.
* Additionally, four Su-30MKI Sukhoi aircraft from the IAF’s No 220 Squadron, also called ‘Desert Tigers’, from Halwara Air Force Station, Punjab, India, will participate in the exercise.
* According to a tweet by the IAF, the contingent has departed from India and will briefly stopover in Thailand and the Philippines before reaching Japan.
* Meanwhile, the JASDF will deploy its four F-2 multi-role attack fighters and four F-15 Eagle aircraft.
* On the inaugural day of Veer Guardian, the air forces will carry out several air drills in a complex environment along with other multi-domain air combat missions.
* This will allow the participating forces to exchange a variety of tactics and techniques.
* The experts from both nations will further conduct discussions to review and share their knowledge on different operational aspects of the drills..
Source : Airforce Technology
