India and the United States recently held a joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise on Kakinada Beach. The exercise, known as Tiger Triumph-24, aimed to improve readiness and cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces. Teams from both nations worked together to simulate an amphibious landing, set up a field hospital, and establish a camp for displaced persons in preparation for potential natural disasters.
The exercise focused on enhancing interoperability for conducting humanitarian operations and refining Standard Operating Procedures for smoother coordination between the Indian and U.S. armed forces. Indian Navy ships, aircraft, Army personnel, and Air Force assets participated, while the United States was represented by Navy ships with troops from the Marine Corps and Army, along with landing craft and helicopters.
Key officials, including Consul General Jennifer Larson and Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos from the U.S., Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankar from India, and Major General Akhilesh Kumar, observed the exercise. Rear Admiral Martinez highlighted the growth of the defense relationship between India and the U.S., emphasizing the importance of joint exercises like Tiger Triumph in building trust and confidence for real-world crises.
Rear Admiral Dhankar expressed confidence in the benefits of the exercise for both countries, noting its contribution to improving capabilities and processes for coordinated relief efforts during disasters. Consul General Larson praised the partnership and cooperation demonstrated during the exercise, calling it an inspiring experience.
The Tiger Triumph 2024 exercise began in Visakhapatnam on March 18 and will conclude on March 31. It involves amphibious transport ships from both countries, including INS Jalashwa and USS Somerset, as well as other vessels like USS Halsey, INS Airavat, and INS Kesari.
