India and the United States will start the ‘Tiger Triumph’ exercise involving their three armed forces in the Bay of Bengal from Tuesday, focusing on enhancing military interoperability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and crisis situations. This exercise will enable rapid and seamless coordination between Indian and American Joint Task Forces (JTF) during unexpected crises.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the fourth edition of the bilateral tri-service India-US HADR exercise, Tiger Triumph, will take place from April 1 to April 13 along the eastern seaboard. The inauguration ceremony will be held on April 1 aboard the INS Jalashwa, featuring a joint flag parade and media interaction. The aim of this exercise is to develop interoperability capabilities for HADR operations and to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for setting up a joint coordination center (CCC).
The exercise will involve Indian Navy ships Jalashwa, Gharial, Mumbai, and Shakti, which will be equipped with helicopters and landing crafts, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I, soldiers from the 91 Infantry Brigade and the 12 Mech Infantry Battalion, the Indian Air Force’s C-130 aircraft, and MI-17 helicopters with a Rapid Action Medical Team. The US side will be represented by US Navy ships Comstock and Ralph Johnson, which will have personnel from the US Marine Division onboard. The port phase of the exercise will take place in Visakhapatnam until April 7, during which participants from both sides will also engage in training visits, subject matter expert exchanges, sports events, and social interactions.
After completing the port phase, the ships will depart for the maritime phase, conducting marine, amphibious, and HADR operations off the coast of Kakinada. During the exercise, the Indian Army and US Marines will set up a joint command and control center at the Kakinada Naval Enclave. The Indian Air Force’s RAMT and the US Navy’s medical team will also establish a joint medical camp to provide medical assistance. The exercise will conclude with a ceremony on April 13 aboard the US Navy ship Comstock in Visakhapatnam.
