As Myanmar reels from death and destruction caused by a massive earthquake, India on Saturday mounted a multi-agency mission delivering 15 tonnes of essential materials and dispatching more aid by air and sea along with rescue teams to the neighbouring country.
In a reflection of New Delhi’s strong commitment to extend help, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and said India stands in solidarity with the people of that country.
India has named its rescue mission for Myanmar as ‘Operation Brahma’.
Hours after New Delhi delivered 15 tonnes of essential relief materials to Yangon in a military transport aircraft, another military plane landed in Myanmar’s capital Nay-Pyi-Taw carrying a group of rescue personnel.
India became the first country to bring rescue personnel to the capital city to help local authorities, officials said.
“Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake. As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour,” the prime minister said on ‘X’ after his phone conversation with the senior military general.
“Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search & rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of #OperationBrahma,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Indian naval ships INS Satpura and INS Savitri are carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid and headed for the port of Yangon.
In a social media post, Jaishankar also said that an 80-member strong search and rescue team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) departed for Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw.
They will assist the rescue operations in Myanmar, he added.
India has deployed NDRF abroad on two previous occasions — during the 2015 Nepal earthquake and the 2023 Turkiye quake.
In the morning, India delivered 15 tonnes of relief materials to the Myanmarese city of Yangon after a C130J military aircraft of the Indian Air Force transported the consignments to the Myanmarese city.
The supplies included tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets and essential medicines, officials said.
Two more IAF aircraft are also carrying relief materials, according to officials.
Sixty para-field ambulances are also being sent by air to Myanmar as part of Operation Brahma, they said.
“#OperationBrahma gets underway. First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar,” Jaishankar posted on ‘X’ after India dispatched the first consignments of relief supplies.
The relief materials were handed over to Chief Minister of Yangon U Soe Thein by Indian envoy to Myanmar Abhay Thakur.
The powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand on Friday, destroying buildings, bridges and other infrastructures.
According to Myanmar’s military-led government on Saturday, the death toll has climbed to 1,644. The number of injured is 3,408, while 139 people are missing after the quake.
India has acted as a “First Responder” to assist the people of Myanmar affected by Friday’s massive earthquake, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal told reporters, “Brahma is the God of creation. At a time when we are extending a helping hand to the Government of Myanmar, to the people of Myanmar to rebuild their country in the wake of the devastation, this particular name of the operation has a special resonance, a special meaning.”
Giving details of the various steps to assist in rescue and relief work in Myanmar, he said a field hospital with 118 members is also expected to leave from Agra later on Saturday.
Commandant P K Tiwary of the 8th NDRF battalion based in Ghaziabad near Delhi is leading the USAR (Urban Search And Rescue) team.
The team is also taking along rescue dogs for the collapsed structure search and rescue operation being undertaken as per International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) norms, an official said.
The Indian embassy in Myanmar said it is coordinating speedy delivery of assistance and relief supplies from India with Myanmar.
“We are also in constant touch with Indian community. Reiterate our emergency number for needy Indian nationals:+95-95419602,” it posted on ‘X’.
Indian officials in Delhi said the first C130 landed in Nay-Pyi-Taw in the evening and the NDRF team was received by the Indian ambassador and Maung Maung Lynn, Ambassador-at-large, in Myanmar foreign ministry.
India is the first to bring rescue personnel to the capital, they said adding the airport at the capital city is still not fully functional after the earthquake.
The NDRF team will proceed to Mandalay early morning of Sunday, and will be the first rescue team to reach there for rescue operations, they said.
India shares a 1,643-kilometre-long border with Myanmar on the eastern side. (PTI)
