India’s armed forces are often among the first to respond when disaster strikes, both at home and abroad. Ensuring that the Army, Navy, Air Force and other agencies can work together seamlessly is the objective of the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise 2026 (AJHE-26), scheduled to be held at Air Force Station Jamnagar from November 17 to 19.The exercise will bring together the three services, the Indian Coast Guard, disaster management authorities and representatives of friendly foreign countries. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), state disaster management authorities (SDMAs) and other agencies will also participate.The focus will be on strengthening inter-agency coordination, improving operational interoperability and developing international response mechanisms for emergencies such as cyclones, earthquakes, floods and chemical disasters. AJHE-26 will comprise a table-top exercise, alongside a demonstration of capabilities for participating officials and representatives.Discussions will centre on the roles and responsibilities of different agencies, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for disaster response and the coordination required to mobilise personnel and equipment. Participants will also assess the air assets and other resources that the armed forces and civilian agencies can bring to relief operations. The Indian Air Force‘s Rapid Action Medical Team will demonstrate the role of military medical units in responding to emergencies.The broader objective is to harmonise response procedures and establish a common understanding among all participating agencies, including international partners, so that assistance can be mobilised and delivered more quickly when a major disaster strikes. Bringing together the armed forces, the Coast Guard, central and state authorities and foreign representatives reflects a whole-of-nation approach to disaster response while strengthening India’s ability to coordinate humanitarian assistance with international partners.
A record as a first responder
India has built a considerable track record as a first responder, deploying aircraft, ships, medical teams and specialised personnel to disaster-hit regions both within the country and overseas.The latest example is the Indian Air Force’s deployment of a C-130 aircraft carrying 10 tonnes of relief material and medical supplies to Nepal following flash floods, with further assistance planned through C-17 aircraft.India’s record of humanitarian assistance stretches back decades, from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to Operation Cactus in 1988, when Indian forces helped the Maldives thwart an attempted coup. More recent operations include Operation Amistad in Venezuela, where two IAF C-17 aircraft transported an Army field hospital and more than 35 tonnes of supplies following an earthquake in June. In 2025, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu in Sri Lanka and Operation Brahma in Myanmar. Other major missions include Operation Dost in Turkey and Syria, Operation Kaveri in Sudan and Operation Karuna in Myanmar, all undertaken in 2023.The armed forces have also played a crucial role in evacuating Indians from conflict zones and crisis-hit regions. Operation Ganga brought back more than 20,000 Indians from Ukraine in 2022, while Operation Devi Shakti evacuated Indian citizens and officials from Afghanistan in 2021. Earlier missions include Samudra Setu, Raahat, Maitri, Sankat Mochan and Neer.These operations demonstrate India’s ability to rapidly deploy military assets, medical facilities and specialised teams across the region and beyond. AJHE-26 seeks to strengthen the coordination that makes such responses possible.
