Chennai : India and Myanmar wrapped up their first bilateral disaster relief exercise, ‘RAHAT MITRA’, in Chennai on 5 and 6 November 2026. Personnel from the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force took part alongside a Myanmar Defence Forces delegation. The aim was to improve coordination between the two militaries and share best practices for responding to disasters.
Day one began with joint planning and a briefing on each side’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities. Participants then ran a table-top exercise built around a severe cyclone, discussing how to coordinate their response. They also watched the Indian Army demonstrate obstacle clearance and bridge-laying, and visited INS Sukanya to see the Navy’s shipborne relief capabilities.
On day two, the Indian forces demonstrated how they respond across sea, land and air:
- Navy: Flood Relief Teams showed their specialised equipment, and a Chetak helicopter and INS Bitra carried out a coordinated maritime search and rescue drill. INS Adyar and the Communication Network Centre showed the shore-based response set-up and the communication links used for command and control in emergencies.
- Army medical services: Military Hospital, Chennai, demonstrated field triage and the running of relief camps.
- Air Force: The IAF demonstrated casualty evacuation on an ALH helicopter, with Commodore Aung Niang Win and two other Myanmar officers on board.
The two sides said the exercise helped them understand each other’s capabilities and procedures, which should make joint disaster response smoother. They also described it as a step forward for defence cooperation, regional stability and maritime cooperation between India and Myanmar.