US Navy Rear Admiral Joaquin Martinez on Friday said that the defence forces of India and the U.S.A. would jointly be able to take on any challenge in the Indo-Pacific region as the forces of both nations are independently strong. Mr. Martinez is also the Vice-Commander of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, based in Japan.
Speaking to newsmen at a joint press conference here on the sidelines of the Indo-US bilateral Human Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, Tiger Triumph, at Kakinada Naval base, Rear Admiral Martinez has added: “In Indo-Pacific region, crisis response is not a matter of the earth, but a question of the wind. However, we both have prepared to work together seamlessly. The relationship between India and the US defence forces has grown immensely, and it was manifested on Friday during the joint amphibious exercise off Kakinada coast”.
“Operations like Tiger Triumph will build trust and confidence in our ability to work together and to respond as an integrated joint force,” said Rear Admiral Martinez, referring to the operational experiences during the ongoing bilateral exercise.
“Most importantly, operations like Tiger Triumph will improve the ability to plan and execute operational-level missions,” added Rear Admiral Martinez.
Sharing best SoPs
India and US defence personnel during the Indo-US bilateral exercise Tiger Triumph at Kakinada Naval Enclave on Friday | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In the joint press conference, Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankar, Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Naval Command, stated, “The bilateral exercise was aimed at sharing the best practices of the two nations. The third edition of the Tiger Triumph focused on handling the crisis and coordination during the Human Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.”
On Kakinada Naval Enclave, Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankar has said; “The Indian Navy has a plan to develop the Kakinada Naval Enclave as a training centre for amphibious operations”.
Major General Akhilesh Kumar, General Officer Commanding of 54 Infantry Division (Indian Army-Hyderabad), has said that the Indian Army was prepared for any HADR operations on the coastline.
Amphibious exercise
On Friday, INS Airavat, a Shardul-class amphibious warfare vessel, and INS Kesari, a Shardul-class tank landing ship, participated in the amphibious exercise, in which US Navy and Indian defence forces displaced their operational capabilities in the event of Human Assistance and Disaster Relief off Kakinada coast. The Cross Deck helicopter operation was also held between the ships of the Indian Navy and the US Navy.
