US-India Joint amphibious exercise concludes

India and US armed forces concluded the inaugural tri-services exercise 'Tiger Triumph' in Kakinada, on Thursday with a closing ceremony held onboard the US Navy ship Germantown.

According to a US Consulate press statement, the maiden Tri-Services US-India Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Amphibious Exercise, took place 13-21 November and represents the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.

The first phase of the exercise (the Harbor Phase) took place in Visakhapatnam from 13 to 16 November and included Subject Matter Expert Exchanges on Amphibious and HADR operations. The second (Sea Phase) was 17 to 21 November, during which Indian and US forces jointly transited from Visakhapatnam to the simulated HADR location at Kakinada. In Kakinada, troops transferred ashore and set up a Joint Command and Control Centre and a Joint Relief and Medical Camp.

More than 500 US Marines and Sailors and 1,200 Indian Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen participated in the nine-day exercise. Additionally, US and Indian forces embarked their counterparts’ ships (the USS Germantown and INS Jalashwa) during the transit from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada to become familiar with each other’s procedures and techniques. The exercise included live fire drills, ship maneuvers, and landings by Indian helicopters on the Germantown’s flight deck.

As US Marine Corps First Lieutenant Tori Sharpe noted, “Exercise Tiger Triumph enhanced US-India military-to-military relations and honed individual and small-unit skills in the context of a HADR scenario. It exposed Indian and US forces to different training environments, weaponry and tactics. Through training side-by-side and sharing best practices, both Indian and US troops not only learned from one another but also established personal and professional relationships.”

Acting US Consul General to Hyderabad Eric Alexander added, “India's role as a stabilizing power in the region is critical for trade and transit between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. India and the United States have a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region that provides prosperity and security for all.”