forces successfully conducted firing of live weapons, including firing of surface-to-air as well as surface-to-surface missiles. In addition, they also tested new operational concepts and learned valuable lessons, which will then be analyzed and used for improving existing operational doctrines. "The thrust of this year's edition was to validate the concept of 'Maritime Manoeuvre from the Sea' that is designed to ensure that in a short, swift and intense conflict, the navy is able to directly address and favourably influence the progress and outcome of the air-land battle," said a navy spokesperson. TROPEX 2008 TROPEX 2008 was conducted on India's Eastern seaboard. The exercise included the independent workup phase, joint workup phase and tactical phase. On 1 February 2008, while the exercise was underway, five India naval personnel were killed and three others were critically injured aboard the amphibious transport warship , when they inadvertently inhaled the poisonous hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas while trying to locate the source of the leakage in a compartment of the ship. Jalashwa, which was purchased from the United States the previous year, was engaged in the exercise with other naval units in the Bay of Bengal, between Visakhapatnam and Port Blair when the mishap occurred. Among the injured were Lieutenant commander Shwet Gupta and Lieutenant Ruchir Prasad. Gupta subsequently succumbed to his injuries on 9 February 2008, bringing the total number of sailors killed to six. Prasad, one of the survivors, later narrated that Gupta, sensing the gravity of the situation, promptly decided to not wait for the gas masks, and, regardless of personal risk, rushed to the rescue of trapped sailors aboard the Jalashwa, and in the process inhaled the poisonous gas. "He jumped and so did I," Prasad said, "I was the last man to see him conscious before I fell myself and in those 30 to 60 seconds we were down there, all I remember is how he showed utter disregard to his own safety." Gupta was posthumously awarded the Nao Sena Medal for his gallantry. TROPEX 2009 TROPEX 2009 took place from 27 January to 25 February 2009. It was conducted by the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard at Madhavpur Beach, Gujarat. The exercise involved an amphibious landing on the beach and complex military manoeuvres. It included around 1,500 Indian Armed Forces' personnel. Indian Navy assets included amphibious transport dock INS Jalashwa, amphibious warfare vessels, fleet