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Japan and India began their first joint fighter jet exercise on Monday near Tokyo as the countries upgrade defence and security ties with an eye on China\u2019s growing military might.<\/p>\n
The 11-day joint exercise will involve eight Japanese fighter jets, with India sending four fighters, two transport aircraft and an aerial refueling tanker, Japan\u2019s defence ministry said.<\/p>\n
Around 150 Indian Air Force personnel are taking part in the exercise at the Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.<\/p>\n
The drill was agreed by the two countries during talks between Japanese and Indian defence and foreign ministers in 2019, but was delayed by the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Japan and India \u2014 along with Australia and the United States \u2014 are part of the \u201cQuad\u201d alliance, a grouping of regional powers that is increasingly concerned about China\u2019s military and economic influence.<\/p>\n
Tokyo has held a string of joint military exercises in recent months, as well as overhauling its defence and security strategy and explicitly airing its concerns about China.<\/p>\n
In December, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida\u2019s government committed to doubling defence spending to two percent of GDP by 2027, and dubbed China the \u201cgreatest strategic challenge ever\u201d to Japan\u2019s security.<\/p>\n
Last week, Japan inked a new defence deal with Britain and agreed to expand its mutual defence treaty with Washington to attacks in space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n