Bilateral Tri-Services Exercise Between India and US

 Visakhapatnam: In continuing partnership between India and the US, a bilateral Tri-Services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise between the two countries, Tiger Triumph-24, is under way on the Eastern Seaboard from March 18 to 31.

Indian Navy ships with integral helicopters and landing crafts embarked the Indian Navy aircraft. Indian Army personnel and vehicles and IAF aircraft and helicopters along with the Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) would be participating in the exercise, it was officially announced here.

The US would be represented by its navy ships with troops drawn from the US Marine Corps and the US Army. The exercise is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and refining standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enable rapid and smooth coordination between forces of both countries.

The Harbour Phase is scheduled from March 18 to 25. Personnel from both navies would participate in training visits, subject matter expert exchanges, sports events and social interactions. On completion of the Harbour Phase, the ships, with the troops embarked, would sail for the Sea Phase and undertake maritime, amphibious and HADR operations following injected situations, the statement said.