India-Japan to hold Dharma Guardian 2026 military drill in Uttarakhand

The 7th edition of the India-Japan joint military exercise 'Dharma Guardian 2026' will be held in Uttarakhand from Feb 24 to Mar 9. The drill will focus on enhancing interoperability in urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations.

The 7th edition of Joint Military Exercise Dharma Guardian 2026 between India and Japan will be conducted at Chaubattia, Uttarakhand, from 24 February to 9 March 2026, the Indian army said in a post on X on Monday.

Focus on Urban Warfare and Counter-Terrorism

The exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the two forces while undertaking joint urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations. Over the two weeks, troops will refine joint planning, synchronise tactical drills and practise specialised combat skills. Key activities of the Exercise include establishing a Temporary Operating Base, developing an ISR grid, mobile check posts, cordon and search operations, heliborne missions and house intervention drills.

"Dharma Guardian 2026 reaffirms the growing India-Japan defence partnership and shared commitment to regional security," the Indian army said on X.

The Exercise provides both armies with an opportunity to share best practices, learn from each other's operational experience in urban warfare and counter- terrorism and build trust between the two forces.

Deepening India-Japan Defence Partnership

The 7th edition follows the successful conclusion of the 6th edition of Exercise Dharma Guardian, which was held at the East Fuji Training Area in Japan from February 24 to March 9, 2025. That exercise marked a significant milestone as it was conducted on an enhanced scale with participation of troops at the company-strength level.

The deepening defence ties between India and Japan extend beyond military exercises. In January this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi also launched a new AI dialogue and decided to convene a Joint Working Group on critical minerals during the 18th Strategic Dialogue between the two countries, highlighting the expanding scope of bilateral cooperation.

India and Japan have been steadily deepening their defence and strategic ties, with regular joint exercises forming a key pillar of the special strategic and global partnership between the two nations aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (ANI)

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