Col Alok Mathur, SM
Hindon Airforce Station , located at Ghaziabad between Yamuna and Hindon Rivers , near Capital , received Warning order to keep Two C 130 J Hercules ready for Disaster Relief Mission at midday of 29 March as the World News Channels announced a massive Earthquake had struck Myanmar and Thailand at 1220 am on 28 March 2025. The point of origin was Sagaing Fault under Central Myanmar and scale was 7.7 on Richter scale and followed by more tremors of 6.6 magnitude. The mobilisation was completed in record time. The two Aircrafts took off at last light of 29 March 2025 along with 80 NDRF troops with 15 tons of assorted relief material for victims along with Search and Rescue equipment. The destination was 2223 km away Nay pyi daw International Airport, capital of Myanmar, Two Hercules of IAF safely landed at 2300h on 29 March and were received by Indian Ambassador Abhay Thakur and Maung Lynn of Myanmar foreign ministry. World Media was taken aback as India was the first country to respond and despatched 40 tons of Relief Material, Seach and Rescue teams and Field Hospital with in shortest possible time frame.
Myanmar was known as Burma during Colonial days. Myanmar got independence on 4 Jan1948. from British. It shares borders with India, Bangladesh to West and China to Northeast and Laos and Thailand to its East. It has population of 55 million and land mass of 6.7 Lakh square kms. 90% of population is Buddhist. Most of the period, Myanmar has a Military Junta Government. Yangon (old Rangoon) in south, Nyi Pyi Daw in central region and Mandalay in North are major cities and connected by 523 kms 10 Lane Express Highway, Yangon International Airport and Nyi Pai Daw International Airports are two largest Airports and Yangon port is also important Harbour in Bay of Bengal.
A massive Earthquake of 7.7 magnitude hit basically Mandalay region of Myanmar causing heavy destruction, toppling Multistorey buildings, demolishing Road and Rail bridges, developing deep cracks on surfaces, The initial estimates were nearly 1700 killed, 3400 injured and 300 were Missing. The casualties may rise with passage of time. The destruction has even spilled over to Bangkok in Thailand and neighbouring Chinese provinces. Assessing the critical situation, Indian PM Narendra Modi spoke to General Min Aung Hlaing, Head of the State, with in few hours of Disaster. General Hlaing heads the Military government since Feb 2021.Indian PM extended him all assistance and conveyed that India stands in solidarity with his immediate Neighbour and close friend in hour of crisis. In a swift action, Dr S Jayshankar had a coordination meeting in MEA with officers from Indian Army, Navy and Airforce, NDRF and Operation Brahma (God of Creation) was initiated on clearance from PMO on 29 March 2025.
Two more IAF C 130 J Transport Aircrafts have already ferried additional 30 tons of Relief Material to Yangon and handed over to Myanmar Red cross. The Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) tranche includes Tents, Sleeping bags, Blankets, Food packets, Water Bottles, purifiers, Solar lamps ,stoves, Generator sets and Essential medicines. A 80 member NDRF Team also had been transported in the Cargo Aircrafts along with K 9 Teams to Nyi Pyi daw with sniffer and search Dogs for Search and Rescue Missions. The Rescue teams are already deployed and located and evacuated about 100 injured citizens.
On 29 March 2025, Para brigade Field Ambulance was airlifted by two C 17 Globe Masters, from Agra Air base with 118 members under Lt Col Jagneet Singh Gill and landed under cover of Darkness, A 60 Bed Field Hospital was established at Mandalay and was fully operational by First light of 30 March 2025. The Field Hospital is equipped with Trauma management centre, X ray facility and surgical operation theatre. The Unit has combination of Specialists, Male/Lady Medical officers, Nursing Staff and Technicians. By 1 April, it has been upgraded to 100 Bed hospital.
Indian Navy was also mobilised. Eastern Naval Command despatched three Naval Ships- INS Ghariyal, INS Savitri and INS Satpura for Yangon Port of Myanmar loaded with Relief Materials for people of Myanmar. Moreover, Andaman Nicobar Command also sent two Naval Vessels INS Kamruk and LCU 52 with Food material, Blankets and Medicines. Indian Vessels have already reached Yangon port and handed over about 500 tons of Essential supplies for victims.
United Nations has appreciated the response of India to send Search and Rescue Teams, Medical Teams and Relief Materials to Myanmar, A naval ship with about 50 tons of Rice and food material is already en route. Two more Hercules Aircrafts have taken off from Hindon Air force Station with more supplies and medicines. Subsequently, Relief Teams from USA, Russia, China and Singapore also joined the Humanitarian Disaster Relief Mission along with Indian Task force. There are about 15000 Indian families are in Myanmar .MEA officials are constantly monitoring the situation. So far, no causalities have been reported. The latest Death toll is about 3500 and about 5000 severely wounded and 417 are reported missing.
India has undertaken number of Disaster Relief Missions for various Nations in Distress. Operation Maitry (Haiti 2010), Operation Rahat (Nepal Earthquake 2015), Operation Sanjeevni (Maldives 2020), Operation Dost (Turkyie, Syria Earthquake 2023), and many more. India always believed in ” Vasudehvaya Kutumbakam”, Which means Whole World is One Family and helped its neighbours always and every time. Meanwhile, Operation Brahma continues full swing from Air and Sea routes and have supplied about 700 tons of Relief Material ,from India to Myanmar strengthening Bilateral relations. PM Modi had a bi lateral meeting with General Aung Min Hlaing at BIMSTEK summit in Bangkok Thailand 0n 4 April 2025 and assured full support to Myanmar in hour of Crisis . Meanwhile, another IAF C 17 Globe Master with about 50 tons of Tranche took off gracefully with destination Nay Pi Daw International Airport .
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