The Air Forces of India and the United States will hold the Cope India exercise at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal, India, from April 10 to 21. Japan will be there as an observer.
A defense source said that intense air maneuvers will be part of the exercise. The goal is to improve how well the planes work together.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to use SU-30MKI, Rafale, and its own Light Combat Aircraft as its front-line fighters. The U.S. Air Force is expected to send F-15 fighter jets.
Based on the agreement made at the Defense Ministerial Meeting on August 20, 2018, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) took part in Cope India for the first time as an observer in December 2018.
The U.S. had suggested a trilateral air exercise between the three countries. Japan was invited to join as an observer, with the goal of making it a trilateral exercise in stages.
When Japan joined the India-U.S. Malabar naval exercise in 2015, it became a trilateral event, and when Australia joined in 2020, it brought all of the Quad partners together.
India and Japan held their first air exercise, Veer Guardian, in January of this year. The JASDF was in charge of hosting the event.
So far this year, the armed forces have been busy with bilateral and multilateral exercises. Last month, the IAF took part in Ex Cobra Warrior for the first time. It was hosted by the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom.
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