• A joint military exercise between India and Japan — Dharma Guardian — was concluded on March 8 at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.

• It is an annual exercise started in 2018 and conducted alternatively in India and Japan.

• India’s Rajputana Rifles battalion and a group of 40 soldiers from Japan Ground Self Defense Force participated in the exercise that began on February 25.

• The primary objective of the exercise was to promote military cooperation and enhance capabilities to carry out joint operations in semi-urban environments under the mandate of the United Nations.

• The exercise, conducted in two phases, initially focused on combat conditioning and tactical training which was successfully completed by both the contingents. The acquired skills were then applied in a second phase.

Other military exercises with Japan:

• Shinyuu Maitri - Air exercise

• JIMEX - Naval exercise

• Veer Guardian - Air exercise.

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