30-Nov-2022: HADR 2022 culminates

The Annual Joint HADR Exercise 'Samanvay 2022' was conducted by the IAF at Air Force Station, Agra from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022. Various stakeholders from the country and representatives from ASEAN member countries participated in the exercise. 

Hon'ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh was the chief guest on the second day of the Multi Agency Exercise dedicated to Capability Demonstration. In his address, Hon'ble Raksha Mantri emphasized the need for collaborative HADR management at national and regional levels to improve interoperability and provide faster response to crisis situations. He advocated the necessity of speed, scale and solidarity in the disaster response mechanism to save valuable lives and property. While thanking the participants of ASEAN countries, he brought out that the focus of India has now shifted from a 'relief- centric' to a 'multi-pronged' approach to crises encompassing prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, relief and rehabilitation. He commended the role played by all stakeholders in the domain of HADR and underlined the effectiveness of the Armed Forces as 'First Responders' in crisis situations. 

Samanvay 2022 tested the efficacy of all available HADR resources. It emerged as a significant step towards achieving synergy between various stakeholders and facilitated exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices with the participants including those representing the ASEAN member countries.

29-Nov-2022: India has emerged as a net security provider in Indo-Pacific, says Raksha Mantri at multi-agency HADR exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ in Agra

India has emerged as a regional power and net security provider in the Indo-Pacific as its capacity to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to its citizens as well as regional partners has grown in recent years. This was stated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the multi-agency Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ in Agra, Uttar Pradesh today.

Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that under SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is cooperating with multiple partners to ensure economic growth & security in the region while tackling threats such as natural disasters. “We have strengthened multilateral partnerships through engagement via regional mechanisms. This has improved interoperability enabling faster response in crisis situations,” he said. The Raksha Mantri pointed out that Asia, particularly the Indo-Pacific region, is vulnerable to the impact of climate change, expressing confidence that the participation of national stakeholders with friendly nations in the ‘Samanvay 2022’ will further enhance disaster management capabilities.

The Raksha Mantri highlighted that prediction of natural disasters has to be accompanied by dissemination of information to a larger population and shifting people to safer locations, which requires an empowered machinery. As nations have different capacities, collaborative preparation to deal with disasters is required, he stressed.  Shri Rajnath Singh called upon the nations to come together in dealing with natural disasters by sharing resources, equipment and training. In HADR, there is a need to share information for regional cooperation and best practices, he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that harnessing diverse capabilities and using expertise and new technologies enable us to decrease the impact of natural disasters. Noting the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters, he stated that it is essential for HADR teams of different nations to come together on a single platform.

Elaborating on India’s robust HADR mechanism which has effectively provided relief both in India and other nations, the Raksha Mantri said the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government has strengthened this structure. India’s approach after the formulation of the National Disaster Management Policy has shifted focus from a relief-centric approach to a ‘multi-pronged’ approach including prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response, relief and rehabilitation, he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh applauded the contribution of the Indian Armed Forces assistance to civil administration during HADR operations and their role in important HADR missions in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Operation Rahat in 2015 and relief operations in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Mozambique, Maldives and Madagascar. He also commended the role of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Forces during relief operations. “Armed forces, Central Armed Police Forces, District Revenue Administration, State Police and capable NGOs have come together to transform India’s capacity to recover from crises and tackle them in the future,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri hailed ‘Samanvay 2022’ for bringing together various agencies involved in HADR activities in order to formulate a joint approach to tackle future natural disasters. He emphasised that strengthening the disaster relief mechanism is essential for overall development. He expressed gratitude to the representatives of friendly nations for their participation and complimented the Indian Air Force for organising the exercise.

The exercise is being conducted by the Indian Air Force at Agra, Air Force Station from November 28-30, 2022. Representatives from ASEAN nations and various national and regional stakeholders involved in Disaster Management including Civil Administration, Armed Forces, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) are attending the exercise.

Earlier, Shri Rajnath Singh attended the capability demonstration events during the exercise, which included an aerial display featuring SU-30 aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters. He also visited the static display of HADR assets of various organisations, which showcased India’s growing disaster management capabilities. The attendees were enthralled by a demonstration by the Akashganga team. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and other senior civil & military officials were present on the occasion.

24-Nov-2022:  Joint HADR Exercise 'Samanvay 2022' commences

Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise 'Samanvay 2022' from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. With an aim to assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a 'Multi Agency Exercise' involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets and a 'Table Top Exercise'. 

Along with involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well. Hon'ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh will be Chief Guest for the Capability Demonstration events planned during the exercise on 29 November 2022. 

Samanvay 2022 will promote a synergistic approach towards HADR by various national and regional stakeholders involved in Disaster Management including the Civil Administration, the Armed Forces, NDMA, NIDM, NDRF, DRDO, BRO, IMD, NRS and INCOIS. This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation and their application for successful conduct of HADR. The exercise also aims to provide a unique platform for exchange of domain knowledge, experience and best practices with the participating ASEAN member countries.