U.S. and Indian Naval Forces Enhance Strategic Collaboration with Joint Amphibious Training Exercise

From April 4 to April 11, 2025, the United States and India engaged in Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, a significant bilateral tri-service military exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability, joint operational readiness, and capabilities in humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR). This year’s event took place along India’s eastern coastline near Kakinada Beach in the Bay of Bengal, emphasizing the strengthening defense relationship between the countries and their mutual dedication to a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

Tiger Triumph is unique as the only tri-service exercise between India and the U.S., featuring coordinated efforts from land, sea, and air forces. In 2025, the exercise involved around 3,000 personnel and more than a dozen military platforms from both nations, highlighting the extensive scale and strategic significance of this defense partnership. This iteration marked the fourth occurrence of the exercise and was the most sophisticated to date, introducing new elements such as innovations in autonomous systems and improved command-and-control frameworks.

A key focus of the exercise was a large-scale amphibious landing operation at Kakinada Beach, spearheaded by the Indian Army’s 4/8 Gurkha Rifles Infantry Battalion, part of the 91st Infantry Brigade. Indian forces landed using Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicles (ALSVs) and BMP-II Sarath amphibious infantry combat vehicles, showcasing the necessary mobility and combat readiness for HADR and coastal operations. Their maneuvers were closely coordinated with the Indian Navy, which included the INS Jalashwa (L41)—the main amphibious command ship. Additional naval assets such as the INS Mumbai (D62), INS Gharial (L23), INS Shakti (A57), and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft further demonstrated India’s strong maritime capabilities, designed for both combat support and humanitarian efforts.

On the U.S. front, the USS Comstock (LSD 45), a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship, led amphibious operations by deploying Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) vessels to transport U.S. Marines from the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion to the beach. The USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, offered additional firepower and maritime security throughout the operation. A P-8A Poseidon was tasked with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, while both U.S. Air Force C-130J and Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft carried out coordinated airdrop missions to simulate logistical support for disaster-affected areas. Supporting these efforts were a U.S. Army platoon, a medical platoon, a Civil-Military Operations Center, and a Multi-Domain Task Force Combined Information Effects Fusion Cell, underscoring the comprehensive, collaborative approach both nations employed during the exercise.

The maritime aspect of Tiger Triumph 2025 showcased the evolving defense partnership between the Indian and U.S. navies. With a shared commitment to ensuring maritime domain awareness, freedom of navigation, and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the exercise offered a practical framework for operational synergy in amphibious warfare, logistics coordination, and maritime security. The two navies have progressively strengthened their relationship through joint exercises like Malabar and institutional agreements such as the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA). Tiger Triumph introduces a vital amphibious and humanitarian element to these collaborations, highlighting the increasing significance of naval forces in regional crisis management and disaster relief.

Rear Admiral Greg Newkirk, Commander of Task Force 70 and the principal U.S. officer in the exercise, stated, “Tiger Triumph 2025 represents the culmination of years of trust-building and operational alignment. Our capacity to project power, deliver humanitarian aid, and function under a unified command structure is crucial for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

The cooperation was further strengthened by coordinated airdrop missions conducted by U.S. and Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, which successfully delivered essential supplies to the beachhead. Combined medical and engineering teams swiftly set up field hospitals and logistics points, effectively simulating a rapid response to a regional natural disaster.

A significant advancement in this year’s exercise was the inaugural subject matter exchange focused on autonomous systems, organized by INDOPACOM J85 and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). This pioneering session convened U.S. and Indian industry leaders, military strategists, and government representatives to discuss the use of autonomous technologies in addressing real-world challenges faced by warfighters. This exchange initiated the U.S.-India Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA), which was announced earlier in February 2025 by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initiative seeks to enhance industrial defense collaboration and encourage the joint development and integration of next-generation autonomous systems for future military operations, including Tiger Triumph 2026 and beyond.

As climate change, regional instability, and natural disasters increasingly threaten the Indo-Pacific, exercises like Tiger Triumph are crucial for enhancing joint readiness and building trust among strategic partners. The incorporation of advanced technology, alongside the execution of complex amphibious operations and multinational coordination, reinforces the U.S.-India defense partnership as a key component of regional security. With the involvement of the U.S. 7th Fleet—the Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet—and India’s growing blue-water capabilities, Tiger Triumph 2025 serves as a strong testament to the collaboration of two powerful democracies committed to a secure, rules-based Indo-Pacific.