Indian and Japanese armies begin annual exercise 'Dharma Guardian 2019'
NEW DELHI: Indian and Japan Army commenced bilateral annual military exercise 'Dharma Guardian - 2019' on Saturday at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) Vairengte, Mizoram, India. This is the second edition of the annual feature. It is in addition to the ongoing exercise between the air force of the two countries.
Shillong-based Defence PRO Wing Cdr Ratnakar Singh said, "The aim of exercise is the joint training of troops in counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism operations in both mountainous terrains. It will further cement the long standing strategic ties between India and Japan."
The Japanese contingent is represented by the 34th Infantry Regiment, 1st Div of Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) and the Indian side is represented by a battalion of the Dogra Regiment. 25 soldiers from the battalions are participating in this joint exercise.
There will be important lectures, demonstrations and drills related to counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations as part of the exercise. Both the Armies will also share their valuable experiences in countering such situations as also refine drills and procedures for joint operations. "The Exercise will culminate with a 72 hours validation phase which will test the skills of soldiers in conducting joint operations in a counter terrorism scenario," said Singh.
The Air forces of two countries began their military exercise 'Shinyuu Maitri' at Air Force Station, Arjan Singh in Panagarh town in West Bengal on Thursday and it will go on till 23 October. The focus of the exercise between Indian Air Force and the Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is on Joint Mobility and Tactical interoperability.
Meanwhile, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is slated to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito on October 22, signifying the high importance India attaches to Japan. President Kovind, who left on Thursday for a four-day state visit to the Philippines, will travel to Tokyo on October 21.