India, US to begin tri-service HADR exercise 'Tiger Triumph' on Tuesday

The Tiger Triumph humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise comes even as India continues its efforts to assist Myanmar under Operation Brahma, following last week's devastating earthquake

Amid India's ongoing Operation Brahma to assist Myanmar following last week's devastating earthquake, India and the United States (US) will commence the fourth edition of Exercise Tiger Triumph, a bilateral tri-service humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise, on Tuesday. The 13-day exercise, taking place on the Eastern Seaboard, will continue till April 13.

 

"The exercise is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and for the formulation of standard operating procedures to establish a combined coordination centre that would enable rapid and smooth coordination between Indian and US joint task forces during exercises and in times of crises or contingencies," said an Indian Navy spokesperson. 

 

 

The Indian side will be represented by four Navy ships — the landing platform dock INS Jalashwa, amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial, guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, and fleet tanker INS Shakti — along with their complement of helicopters and landing craft. The Navy’s P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft will also participate. Additionally, troops from the Army’s 91 Infantry Brigade and 12 Mechanised Infantry Battalion will take part. The Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) C-130 transport aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, and Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) will also be involved. On the US side, the exercise will see the participation of US Navy ships Comstock and Ralph Johnson, with troops from the US Marine Division embarked.

 

The harbour phase of the exercise is scheduled to commence at Visakhapatnam on Tuesday and will continue till April 7. During this phase, participants from both sides will engage in training visits, subject matter expert exchanges, sports events, and social interactions. On completion of the harbour phase, the ships, with troops embarked, will proceed to the sea phase and undertake maritime, amphibious, and HADR operations off Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.

 

"During the exercise, a joint command and control centre will be established by the Indian Army and US Marines at the Kakinada Naval Enclave. The IAF RAMT and the US Navy medical team will also set up a joint medical camp to provide medical aid," said the Navy spokesperson. The exercise will conclude on April 13 at Visakhapatnam. 

 

The India-US exercise is taking place alongside Operation Brahma, India’s ongoing assistance mission to Myanmar following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand on March 28. The Ministry of External Affairs-led HADR efforts are being undertaken in coordination with Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, the Army, the IAF, and the National Disaster Response Force.

 

Indian naval ships INS Satpura and INS Savitri, carrying approximately 40 tonnes of relief material, arrived at Yangon on Monday. INS Karmuk and LCU 52 sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on Sunday with approximately 30 tonnes of relief material and arrived at Yangon on Tuesday morning. Further bolstering the ongoing relief efforts, INS Gharial sailed out of Visakhapatnam harbour on Tuesday with substantial relief material weighing approximately 440 tonnes, including rice, edible oil and medicines. In all, the Navy has dispatched approximately 510 tonnes of relief material to Myanmar to date. 

Another 30 T of HADR aid, including food, medical supplies & tents, carried by @indiannavy ships INS Karmuk & LCU52, handed over by @AmbAbhayThakur to Yangon CM U Soe Thein today. Indian Field Hospital in Mandalay, visited by CM U Myo Aung, is treating patients.#OperationBrahma pic.twitter.com/uuZ6O2Eiq8

— India in Myanmar (@IndiainMyanmar) April 1, 2025

 

#OperationBrahma@indiannavy ship INS Ghariyal departs from Vishakhapatnam with 442 metric tonnes of essential food items.  ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/h9gJkpDXxs

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 1, 2025

 

Both Operation Brahma and Exercise Tiger Triumph come amid India’s commitment to reaffirming its role as the first responder in the neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean Region.