What Japan’s coming fighter jet deployment to India means for China

Japan plans to deploy fighter jets in India for the first time next month, a decision experts say reflects Tokyo’s desire to strengthen security cooperation with “like-minded” countries in the Indo-Pacific region as it ramps up defence spending in response to China’s growing military power.According to a Japan Air Self-Defence Force announcement on Tuesday, Tokyo will conduct a joint training exercise, Veer Guardian 26, with the Indian Air Force between September 9 and 21 in Rajasthan in western India.As part of the joint training, Tokyo said it would deploy three F-2 fighter jets to India, as well as about 110 personnel from the Eighth Air Wing stationed at Tsuiki Airbase in southwestern Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture.“This will be a valuable opportunity to enhance mutual understanding and trust,” said Takehiro Morita, chief of staff of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force.The deployment – Japan’s first involving fighter jets to India – comes on the heels of a visit by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to India last week.Koizumi met Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and pledged “to further deepen defence cooperation” through bilateral exercises, aiming to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific.