Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is arranging to visit India in mid-August to discuss expanding joint military exercises, according to Japanese government sources.

Onodera and Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to agree to hold the first-ever joint exercise involving their ground forces this year, at the earliest, as well as an air force drill at an early date, the sources said Saturday.

Japan and India already conduct trilateral maritime exercises with the U.S. Navy.