India's humanitarian assistance mission to earthquake-hit Venezuela reached the South American nation on Sunday, with the Indian Army's field hospital unit, rescue personnel and relief supplies beginning operations under Operation Amistad, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said.
"Indian assistance reaches Venezuela. Confident that the Field Hospital Unit, relief supplies, medicines & medical equipment, will bolster ongoing post-earthquake relief efforts in the country," Jaishankar said in a post on X.
Launched in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela earlier this week, Operation Amistad marks India's latest humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) mission. The operation's name, 'Amistad', means 'friendship' in Spanish, reflecting India's solidarity with the people of Venezuela.
Two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft airlifted more than 35 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit, two portable BHISHM Cube hospitals (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri), medicines, medical equipment and other essential relief material.
The mission also includes a 41-member team from the Indian Army's 60 Para Field Hospital, comprising nine medical officers and other healthcare personnel, who will provide emergency medical care to survivors in coordination with Venezuelan authorities.
Personnel and specialised equipment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed to assist ongoing search-and-rescue operations in the quake-ravaged areas.
The Ministry of External Affairs had announced the launch of Operation Amistad on Friday, saying India stood firmly with the government and people of Venezuela during the humanitarian crisis and remained committed to extending all possible assistance.
The powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck northern Venezuela within a minute of each other, triggering widespread devastation. According to Venezuelan authorities, at least 1,500 people have been killed and thousands injured, while thousands have been displaced after homes, hospitals and other public infrastructure suffered extensive damage.
Rescue teams from several countries, including Switzerland, Mexico, El Salvador and the Netherlands, have joined local emergency responders in search-and-rescue and relief operations.
Operation Amistad is the latest in a series of overseas disaster-relief missions undertaken by India, underscoring New Delhi's growing role as a first responder in humanitarian emergencies across the world.