India, U.S. tri-service HADR exercise Tiger Triumph concludes on Eastern seaboard

India-U.S. Tiger Triumph 2025 exercise enhances HADR operations, interoperability, and introduces space dimension, strengthening military cooperation.

The 4th edition of the India-U.S. tri-service amphibious Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, Tiger Triumph, concluded on Friday (April 11, 2025) following the completion of operations on India’s eastern coast. According to the Indian Navy, the operations reflected an “enhanced degree of combined combat drills, jointmanship and interoperability achieved” between the armed forces of the two countries.

A new aspect introduced in Tiger Triumph 2025 was the space dimension. The U.S. side noted in a statement that U.S. Space Force representatives worked with Indian counterparts to incorporate satellite technology, aiming to enhance force awareness in operational planning and execution.

“Conducted from April 1st to 11th, the exercise provided invaluable training in HADR operations and familiarised participants with each other’s capabilities, techniques, and procedures. Notably, Exercise Tiger Triumph was first held in 2019, with the primary aim of strengthening operational synergies, facilitated by logistics exchange under the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and towards integrating emerging technologies between the two militaries,” the Navy said in a statement.

The exercise culminated with a Distinguished Visitors Day. This event witnessed the seamless execution of complex operations at and off Kakinada, including standoff and hard beaching landings, slithering operations by Special Operations Forces from the Indian Army’s Southern Command [Note 4] using Mi-17V5 helicopters, participation of C-130 aircraft, and integrated air operations involving the three Indian Services, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Marine Corps, the Navy detailed.

The Harbour Phase of the exercise took place from April 1 to 7 at Visakhapatnam. Activities included pre-sail conferences, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) covering key technologies such as medical, drone, and space capabilities. The Harbour Phase also featured cross-deck visits, ship boarding drills, and friendly sports fixtures, according to the statement.

The Sea Phase, conducted off the coast of Kakinada from April 8 to 11, involved complex maritime operations, cross-deck aircraft landings, troop landings at Kakinada, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) activities. As part of the HADR focus, a combined coordination centre was established for large-scale joint operations, alongside a Joint Relief and Medical Camp set up by the Indian Rapid Action Medical Team and their U.S. counterparts.

“Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025 marks a significant milestone in reinforcing the shared commitment of India and the United States towards regional stability, disaster response cooperation, and enhancing interoperability between their armed forces,” the Navy added.