Chennai: India and Myanmar have concluded their inaugural bilateral tri-services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, ‘RAHAT MITRA’, held on November 5 and 6 to strengthen coordination and disaster response capabilities.
The two-day exercise brought together personnel from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, along with a delegation from the Myanmar Defence Forces.
The programme began with joint planning sessions and a tabletop exercise based on a severe cyclone scenario. Participants also witnessed the Indian Army’s obstacle clearance and bridge-laying demonstrations and visited INS Sukanya to understand the Navy’s shipborne disaster relief capabilities.
On the second day, Indian forces showcased multi-domain disaster response operations. Demonstrations included flood relief equipment, maritime search and rescue involving a Chetak helicopter and INS Bitra, and casualty evacuation by the Indian Air Force.
The Myanmar delegation also visited INS Adyar, the Communication Network Centre and Military Hospital in Chennai to observe emergency communications, medical triage and disaster relief camp management.
The exercise provided an opportunity for both countries to exchange operational expertise and familiarise themselves with each other’s procedures. The defence forces said the initiative would strengthen bilateral cooperation and improve joint preparedness for disaster response operations.