In an effort to further enhance their bilateral defence ties, a battalion group of the Indian Army, comprising more than 700 personnel, is taking part in the ongoing bilateral tri-service exercise — ‘Tiger Triumph-24’ — between India and the US, being held on the Eastern Seaboard, sources said on Wednesday.

The exercise from March 18-31 aims at developing interoperability for conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations and refining SOPs to enable rapid and smooth coordination between the forces of the two countries. The Indian Army’s contingent, comprising one battalion group is taking part in the second edition of the tri-service exercise, along with the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, sources in the defence establishment said.

The 14-day exercise is being conducted in two phases with a harbour phase at Visakhapatnam followed by a sea phase at Kakinada. The primary focus of the exercise is to enhance interoperability, strengthen bilateral relations, and refine capabilities in HADR and sub-conventional operations.

“The exercise has witnessed the amphibious capabilities of the Indian Army in conventional and sub-conventional scenarios. The Indian Army is represented by an integrated battalion group in the exercise, with strength of over 700 army personnel, showcasing newly procured or inducted weapons and state-of-the-art technological infusions,” a defence source said.

The Indian Army contingent is represented by components from infantry, mechanised infantry, Para (Special Forces), artillery, engineers and other supporting arms apart from assorted systems of multiple drones, anti-drone equipment, and ICVs (infantry combat vehicles), the sources said. The harbour phase included communication checks to ensure seamless coordination between the participating forces.