Annual Joint HADR Exercise 2023

CHAKRAVAT Exercise 2023

The Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise is an important event that originated from the directive of the Hon’ble Prime Minister during the Combined Commanders’ Conference in 2015. Since its inception in 2015, the AJHE, named CHAKRAVAT, has evolved into a multi-agency endeavor involving the participation of all three Services (Army, Navy, and Air Force), Paramilitary Forces, various disaster response organizations, NGOs, academic institutions, and international organizations. The 2023 edition of this exercise aims to further enhance collaboration at the national level among all stakeholders and will involve the participation of eight countries from the Indian Ocean Region.

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The exercise has been conducted by the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force (IAF) in rotation since 2016. The previous edition of the exercise was conducted by the IAF in Agra. The 2023 edition is being hosted by the Indian Navy in Goa from October 9th to October 11th, 2023. This exercise plays a crucial role in improving disaster response and humanitarian assistance capabilities across different agencies and nations.

About CHAKRAVAT 2023

CHAKRAVAT 2023 is a comprehensive exercise spanning three days, featuring a seminar, a Table-Top Exercise, and a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration. This exercise will involve the active participation of various national agencies, including:

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM)
Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
Coast Guard
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
National Remote Sensing Agencies (NRSA)
State Disaster Management Agency (SDMA)
State Fire Services, Goa
District Disaster Management Agency (DDMA) of North and South Goa
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)
Central Water Commission (CWC)
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Representatives from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
Representatives from friendly foreign countries

This collaborative effort will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and best practices in disaster response and humanitarian assistance. It will strengthen the collective preparedness of all participating agencies and nations.

The Logo for this year’s exercise depicts crests and logos of all participating agencies and flags of all nations subsumed into one single entity to signify that HADR will hinge on joint and integrated action by all the agencies.

Objectives of the Annual Joint HADR Exercise

The Annual Joint HADR Exercise reflects India’s commitment to developing collective and coordinated response mechanisms for addressing humanitarian crises and natural disasters. This effort aligns with India’s inclusive vision for the oceans, known as SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region).

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations play a crucial role in the Indian Navy’s Benign Role, given the increased vulnerability of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to natural disasters due to climate change.
During the seminar on October 9, 2023, subject matter experts will engage in discussions on emergent topics related to climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, collaborative disaster response in the IOR, and NGO collaboration in disaster reduction and response.
Additionally, an industrial display on October 10 and 11, 2023, will showcase various HADR equipment from organizations such as FICCI, Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NDRF, SDMA, and NSRC.
Moreover, a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration on October 11, 2023, will feature drills focusing on rescue and relief operations, emphasizing important lessons and nuances in disaster response.
These collective efforts aim to enhance preparedness and collaboration among various agencies and nations in the event of humanitarian crises and natural disasters in the Indian Ocean Region.

Challenges

The challenge of climate change is particularly significant in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), where many littoral states have limited capacity to address this growing threat. As a result, the Indian Armed Forces have been increasingly called upon to provide assistance to friends and partners in the region. This has emphasized the importance and determination to be the ‘First Responder’ in the IOR.

While the three Services of the Indian Armed Forces continue to play a crucial role in delivering relief and assistance during calamities, adopting a whole-of-government approach would further enhance preparedness and response to such unfortunate events. This approach involves coordinated efforts and collaboration among various government agencies to ensure a more effective and efficient response to humanitarian crises and natural disasters in the IOR.

Shubham Mittal

Shubham Mittal is a renowned current affairs writer and expert in government exam preparation, inspiring readers with insightful articles and guiding aspirants with his expertise.

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