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Context

• The annual joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise (AJHE-23) ‘Chakravat’ started in Goa.
• The 2023 edition of the exercise is being hosted by the Indian Navy from 9 to 11 October.

Details

• The annual joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise -- CHAKRAVAT -- is an outcome of the prime Minister’s directive promulgated during the Combined Commanders' Conference 2015.
• The exercise has been conducted by the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force in rotation since 2016.
• Since its first edition in 2015, the Annual Joint HADR Exercise, CHAKRAVAT, has transformed itself into a multi-agency endeavour involving the participation of all three Services, Paramilitary Forces, as well as several disaster response organisations, NGOs, academic institutions and international organisations.

2023 Edition

• The AJHE-23, planned over three days includes a seminar, a Table-Top Exercise, and a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration.
• The exercise will witness participation from various national agencies namely, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM), Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, DRDO and from friendly foreign countries.
• 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 the all the agencies.

Significance

• Developing collective and coordinated effective response mechanisms to address humanitarian crises and natural disasters are one of the most visible elements in India's inclusive vision for the oceans - SAGAR, or Security And Growth for All in the Region.
• HADR operations form a key component in the Navy's benign role, as climate change has significantly increased the vulnerability of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to natural disasters.
• The challenge posed by climate change is accentuated by the limited capacity of littoral IOR states to address this rapidly growing threat. Therefore, Indian armed forces have been frequently called upon to render assistance to our friends and partners in the region, thereby, strengthening the need and our resolve to be the 'first responder' in the region.
• While the three Services continue to provide relief and succor in the event of a calamity, a whole-of-government approach would further enhance our preparedness and response to such unfortunate events.
• The 2023 edition would further synergize efforts at the national level among all stakeholders, as well as witness participation from eight countries of the Indian Ocean Region.

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