The Annual Joint HADR Exercise 2023 (AJHE-23) ‘CHAKRAVAT’ hosted by Indian Navy at Goa from 09-11 Oct 23, concluded with a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration at Mole Berth, within the Port of Mormugao, to showcase drills on rescue and relief. Teams from NDRF, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and State Fire Services, Goa participated in the demonstration.
AJHE-23 witnessed participation from various national agencies namely, 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 Metrological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Agencies (NRSA), State Disaster Management Agency (SDMA) and 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) and representatives from Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Representatives were also present from eight friendly foreign countries viz. Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
AJHE-23 commenced with a Seminar on 09 Oct 23 to discuss synergy in response to climate change and associated disaster adaptation and mitigation.
On 10 Oct, a Table-Top Ex with reps from all participating agencies and delegates from eight friendly foreign countries was conducted as a capstone event of AJHE-23 at INS Hansa. The Ex deliberated a scenario of cyclone making landfall at Goa resulting in flooding and widespread destruction of infrastructure upto 100 km hinterland from the coast. Participating agencies discussed and presented joint plans for rendering humanitarian assistance.
An Industrial Display was also organised by FICCI on 10 Oct in coordination with Indian Navy to showcase ready to export HADR equipment manufactured by both public and private sectors.
The discussions amongst the participants over the three days of the exercise enabled improved understanding of the capabilities of each organisation and paved a path for better coordination between various agencies during an HADR scenario.
The Logo for AJHE-23 depicted 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.
