Jodhpur: Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita flew India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas during Exercise Veer Guardian-2026 on September 20 and described the fighter as a symbol of India's technological innovation and the “Make in India” initiative.
Morita flew in a Tejas alongside an Indian pilot from Air Force Station Jodhpur, while Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh also undertook a Tejas sortie as part of the ongoing bilateral exercise. The interaction marked a high-profile demonstration of the operational engagement between the two air forces.
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Speaking after the sortie, Morita said flying the Tejas gave him a first-hand appreciation of the efforts of personnel across India's military and defence industry who contributed to the aircraft's development. He also highlighted the IAF's training environment and the value of Veer Guardian for the JASDF.
The Japanese air chief's remarks provide an international perspective on the Tejas programme, which represents one of India's most significant indigenous aerospace-development efforts. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with technologies developed through India's wider aerospace and defence R&D ecosystem, Tejas is intended to form an important part of the IAF's future fighter fleet.
The sortie also carries significance for the India-Japan defence relationship. Veer Guardian-2026 is being conducted at Jodhpur from September 9 to 22, with the IAF operating Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale fighters while the JASDF has deployed its F-2A fighters.
This year's exercise is particularly notable because it marks the first deployment of Japanese F-2 fighters to India. The two sides are conducting advanced operational missions, mission-planning activities, professional exchanges and discussions on engineering and aerospace safety.
For India, the presence of Japanese F-2s operating alongside Tejas provides an opportunity for the IAF to expose its indigenous fighter and associated operational procedures to a close Indo-Pacific partner. For Japan, operating from Indian soil provides practical experience in deploying combat aircraft farther from home bases and strengthening interoperability with the IAF.
The episode also gives the Tejas programme a defence-diplomatic dimension. Indigenous platforms are increasingly becoming instruments through which India demonstrates not only its military capability but also the maturity of its domestic aerospace industry.
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh described Morita's Tejas sortie as an example of the “faith and trust” placed in the homegrown aircraft and said it could contribute to future exchanges, including fighter-flight training cooperation.
The development comes shortly after HAL handed over two Tejas FOC twin-seat trainers to the IAF, completing the twin-seat component of the original FOC contract. The handover was part of a broader September 18 ceremony that also saw the delivery of HTT-40 basic trainers and Dhruv NG helicopters, underlining the expanding scope of India's indigenous aerospace ecosystem.
Beyond the symbolism, the Tejas-Japan interaction highlights how indigenous defence manufacturing and military diplomacy are increasingly interconnected. As India seeks to expand defence exports and deepen strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, the operational demonstration of homegrown platforms alongside partner air forces can contribute to greater international familiarity with Indian defence technology.
For the Tejas programme, General Morita's sortie therefore represents more than a ceremonial flight: it placed India's indigenous fighter at the centre of a major India-Japan operational engagement while giving international visibility to the technological and industrial capabilities behind the aircraft.
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