US Marine Corps, special forces to participate in first Indo-US ‘Tiger Triumph’ exercise

NEW DELHI: From US’s Marine Corps and armoured vehicles to components from India’s three defence forces including helicopters, an infantry unit and ships to transport men and supplies to shores will be participating in the first triservices amphibious exercise between the two countries on India’s eastern seaboard in November.
The exercise, ‘Tiger Triumph’, is also likely to witness the participation of a special forces reconnaissance team of the US. The focus of the drill will be on amphibious humanitarian disaster and relief (HADR) operations. US President Donald Trump had announced the exercise during the ‘Howdy Modi’ event at Houston on Sunday.

The exercise’s final planning conference was held in Visakhapatnam from September 16 to 20 to finalise the modalities.

Officials explained that the ‘harbour phase’ of the exercise will be held in Visakhapatnam from November 13 to 16. The drill’s second phase will take place at Kakinada, also in Andhra Pradesh, from November 17 to 21.

An infantry battalion without two of its companies and additional attachments of troops from the army’s signal, medical and communication arms will be participating in the exercise. The battalion will have a strength of about 300 to 400 troops.

From the navy, a Landing Platform Dock (LPD), INS Jalashwa, a ship which can perform beaching operations and also carry helicopters and small landing crafts for faster transport of troops and supplies from the sea to shore and back, will take part. The helicopters on such ships plays a vital role in transporting supplies and carrying out relief and rescue on land. A Landing Ship Tank, an amphibious vessel which is smaller than an LPD, will be used for beaching operations. Other similar vessels for bringing in troops will also be used. Helicopters will also be involved. Officials added that a survey vessel will also take part in the drill.

The IAF will bring in a C-130J and two Mi-17 helicopters will take part. The US will involve a Landing Ship Dock (LSD), an amphibious warship to transport and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles. A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) to transport equipment and troops top the shore will also be used. A marine rifle company ‘mechanised’ consisting of 160 troops and infantry combat vehicles will be participating. Officials added that a marine logistic element of about 60 troops, a medical regulatory team and a command element will also be brought in. “A US special forces marine recce force is also likely to participate,” an official said.

The overall force commander will be the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet commander, who will have a US Marine Corps officer attached with him. There will also be a commander of the amphibious task force for the sea operations and a commander of the land forces.

The IAF will be giving a presentation to the US component on HADR operations post the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The US will present its rescue and relief efforts during the 2015 Nepal earthquake and an earthquake in Indonesia last year.

This comes in the backdrop of the navies of India, US and Japan taking part in the Malabar exercise at Sasebo, Japan from September 25 to October 4. The exercise will for the first time feature an Indian Navy P8i long range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

Following this drill, India and France will take part in exercise ‘Shakti’ at the Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan from October 21 to November 13. The exercise, which takes place once in two years, will focus on counter-terrorism.