NDRF personnel from India during a rescue operation in Mandalay. (Photo: X/@Smita_Sharma)
New Delhi: Taking swift and decisive action in response to Myanmar’s catastrophic earthquake, India has positioned itself as the frontline humanitarian responder, orchestrating the delivery of an impressive 630 tonnes of emergency supplies to support devastated communities.
In a demonstration of India’s longstanding “Neighbourhood First” diplomatic strategy, the government rapidly mobilized an impressive fleet of five naval vessels and six military transport aircraft to deliver crucial provisions including foodstuffs, medical supplies, clothing, cooking oil and potable water to our disaster-stricken neighbour.
Immediately following the powerful 7.7-magnitude tremor and its aftershocks on March 28, Indian forces scrambled a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft that successfully transported 16 tonnes of emergency relief materials, encompassing essential water supplies, medicinal provisions and temporary sheltering systems to the affected regions.
A high-ranking Indian Navy source said, “Our emergency response teams organized the deployment of four warships carrying vital humanitarian cargo to Myanmar with remarkable speed. The vessels INS Karmuk and LCU 52 successfully offloaded substantial humanitarian aid packages containing nutritional supplies, medical necessities and emergency shelters at Yangon port facilities.”
Standing in solidarity with the people of Myanmar, the Indian Air Force continues to work relentlessly in #OperationBrahma, the #HADR mission to earthquake-hit Myanmar. Within a few hours, the #IAF pressed its aircraft into service.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 30, 2025
So far, 96.3 tons of critical supplies and 198… pic.twitter.com/Amhu9a6Xra
Naval support continued as INS Satpura and INS Savitri delivered an additional 50 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to Yangon. The most recent naval deployment occurred Tuesday when INS Gharial set sail toward Myanmar transporting a substantial 442 tonnes of relief materials, including rice stores, instant noodles, cooking oils, drinking water and pharmaceutical supplies.
This substantial humanitarian intervention has now reached multiple urban centres including Yangon, Naypyitaw, and Mandalay.
In a significant medical relief operation, the Indian Air Force transported a specialized 118-member Army Field Hospital Unit with dedicated women’s and paediatric care capabilities alongside 85 specialized disaster response personnel from our National Disaster Relief Force.
Military officials said a medical team with 118 specialized personnel has now established a fully operational field hospital in Mandalay. This medical facility, deployed via two Indian Air Force C-17 heavy transport aircraft, provides comprehensive medical services including surgical interventions and inpatient treatment with 200 beds at full capacity.
According to Myanmar’s governing military authorities, the powerful seismic event has claimed 2,056 lives, caused over 3,900 injuries, while 270 citizens remain unaccounted for. The earthquake’s impact extended beyond Myanmar’s borders, with tremors felt throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and southwestern regions of China.
United Nations emergency response coordinators have allocated $5 million as initial recovery funding.
Speaking about the disaster’s broader implications, UN representative Stephane Dujarric emphasized: “This earthquake significantly worsens Myanmar’s existing humanitarian crisis, where approximately 20 million civilians already require assistance nationwide, including more than 3.5 million people forcibly displaced from their residences.”
European authorities have announced the release of €2.5 million ($2.3 million) as preliminary emergency funding.
