• India and the US kick-started a 13-day tri-services military exercise — Tiger Triumph — on the eastern seaboard, primarily focusing on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

• Tiger Triumph exercise was first conducted in 2019. 

• The fourth edition of the exercise is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and formulating standard operating procedures (SOPs) to establish a Combined Coordination Centre (CCC).

• The CCC would enable rapid and smooth coordination between Indian and US Joint Task Forces (JTF) during exercises and crisis as well as contingencies.

• The Indian side at the mega exercise is represented by Indian Naval ships Jalashwa, Gharial, Mumbai and Shakti with integral helicopters as well as long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I.

• The Indian Army’s troops from 91 Infantry Brigade and 12 Mechanised Infantry Battalion are also part of the exercise.

• The Indian Air Force has deployed its C-130 aircraft and MI-17 helicopters, along with the Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT).

• The US side is represented by US Navy ships Comstock and Ralph Johnson with troops of the US marine division.

• The harbour phase of the exercise is scheduled at Visakhapatnam from April 1 to 7 during which 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 embarked troops, would sail for a sea phase and undertake maritime, amphibious and HADR operations off Kakinada.

Other bilateral exercises with the US are: 

i) Cope India (Air Force)

ii) Yudh Abhyas (Army) 

iii) Sea Defenders (Coast Guard)

iv) Vajra Prahar (Special Forces).

Major Defence Partner

• The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years.

• In June 2016, the US designated India a ‘Major Defence Partner’ paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

• The two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

• The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.

• In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.

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