Operation Sanjeevani

Indian Air Force (which is abbreviated as IAF) launched an operation that was scheduled for 18-hours. This happened recently in the global pandemic of the outbreak of the Coronavirus. In Operation Sanjeevani, the IAF attempted an airlift of 6.2 tonnes of the essential required medicines and the hospital consumables with their C-130 transport aircraft, which was delivered to the Maldives.

Lately, we have witnessed how a virus outbreak can cripple the entire system. In these crises and tough situations, the only solution was to stand together strongly. We have witnessed different countries standing with each other by way of support. Our India, too, actively took part in the joint standing. Thus, we have launched many such operations, and ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ was one of them. The operation was priorly focused on reviving the Maldives. We will talk about ‘What is Operation Sanjeevani by the Indian Air Force?’ and other details will be shared on the subject matter. 

What is Operation Sanjeevani by Indian Air Force? 

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Operation Sanjeevani by Indian Airforce is a rescue mission for Maldivians against the pandemic. We, Indians, are proud of the fact that - Indian Air Force (abbreviated as IAF) airlifted approximately 6.2 tonnes of the essential medicines onboard via C-130 aircraft from India to the Maldives during the outbreak of the pandemic. 

At this time, there was a complete lockdown going on in India due to the global pandemic COVID-19. The medicines and other consumables were procured by the STO from eight varied suppliers in India. This was not possible to be sent directly to the Maldives. Thus, IAF launched a mission called `Operation Sanjeevani’, sorting the help of the Indian Army. Together they lifted medicines from different airports countrywide. Airports included were— New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai. After picking up the essentials and medicines, they flew to the Maldives.

“At the request of the government of Maldives, the IAF aircraft activated Operation Sanjeevani and lifted these medicines from airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai before flying to the Maldives,” a statement read for facilitating the transport of these medicines and other consumables items from the warehouses across the country India to the respective airports. Operation Sanjeevani by Indian Air Force was indeed a noble task done, which makes the country beam proudly. 

What all were Delivered to the Maldives in Operation Sanjeevani?

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Among the crucial vaccines, influenza vaccines and also anti-viral drugs which were used in other countries to treat the virus of COVID-19, such as Lopinavir and Ritonavir have been delivered in tons in the Maldives by India. Hospital consumables which included catheters, urine bags, nebulisers, infant feeding tubes, other medications for the cardiac conditions, supplements of kidney ailments, medicines of hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, allergies and even medicines for cancer treatment, anticonvulsants – all were delivered to the Maldives. 

What else was delivered to the Maldives by the Indian Government?

Additionally, India has also sent other essential supplies to the Maldives recently. We have sent a 14-member COVID-19 Rapid Response Team, which consisted of doctors and other specialists who are capable enough to handle the situation in the Maldives. Indian Government made sure that full commitment is given to this nation by their support. Also, the Indian Government evacuated nine nationals of Maldives from Wuhan, a place in China, where the COVID-19 was initially identified. All these were very much helpful for the nation.  

India Helping the Maldives Through the Years

India extensively has helped the Maldives many times, even before the outbreak of the global pandemic.

• It was back in 1998 when the Indian Armed Forces helped the Maldives to neutralise their coup attempt. 

• In the year 2004, when the tsunami hit the Maldives, several supplies were sent to the Maldives from India. 

• In the year 2014, another operation was launched, which was named ‘Operation Neer’. This was activated by the Indian Government to supply clean and refined drinking water to the people in the Maldives.   

• Two Advanced Light Helicopters were given by India to the armed forces of the Maldives, which were used in saving the lives of the Maldivians.

• In a video conference with the SAARC leaders held last month, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced $ 10 million for the SAARC COVID -19 Emergency Fund relief.

Thus, we see in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Government of India is setting a brilliant example of helping its neighbouring country, the Maldives.

Relation of the Indian Flights with China  

Relation of Indian flights with China was crucial to continue their help to other nations, including the Maldives. Air India thus made sure that they get the full exposure of the pharma companies in order to manufacture the vaccines and other essentials. This would help the country as well as other nations which we were helping at the moment. 

In this context, India received China’s clearance to operate their cargo flights to the places of China called Shanghai and Hong Kong to help the Indian pharmaceutical companies import their personal protective equipment (PPE) for the frontline health workers in this field.

“We have secured requisite approvals from Shanghai for our flights on April 4 and 5 and await clearances for flights on April 6,7, and 8. Permissions have also been obtained for operations to Hong Kong,” said the Air India Chairman and the Managing Director, named Rajiv Bansal. This was announced at a press conference.

These flights were operated on a commercial basis which followed the demands from the pharmaceutical companies and with their intermediaries, which would carry the cargo on the inbound as well as outbound flight missions.

IAF - Continued Support to India 

Indian Air Force (IAF) continues their support to restrict the spread of the virus. All the medical supplies are being transported to equip and arm different state governments, and thereby, they support the agencies to combat the virus effectively and deal with the same efficiently.

Medical supplies and other commodities are airlifted by IAF from the main and nodal points to the state in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Mohanbari in the North-Eastern region called - Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Bareilly and also in Agra in the Central region; and in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and in Ladakh. 

In addition to this, the Indian Air Force airlifted medical supplies to the country - Maldives.  The Maldives has faced a shortage of these essential medical supplies at the connectivity with India, and thus its main source of medical supplies got broken after the outbreak of COVID-19 lockdown. Hence, active support was delivered to this nation. 

All the quarantine facilities which were created at the IAF bases built across the country still continue their function. IAF is always seemed ready and all geared up to meet all the emerging needs and thereby support our nation to fight this dreading pandemic.

Relationship of India with the Maldives

India and Maldives share an ethnic bond that highlights the basics of their linguistic, cultural, religious character. The commercial links between Maldives and India are very strong. India can be counted among the first nations who recognised the Maldives after it got its independence in the year 1965, and later it had established its mission at ‘Male in the year 1972’.

India provides the largest number of training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (abbreviated as MNDF); this meets around 70% of the country’s defence training requirements. Ekuverin is a joint military exercise that is initiated between India and Maldives.

Disaster Management: Our Government has provided the nation, the Maldives, large-scale assistance in the aftermath of 2004 in the Indian Ocean tsunami during the year 2014 Maldives water crisis.

Trade and Tourism: In regards to Trade and Tourism, India is Maldives’ 4th largest trade partner after the United of the Arab Emirates, China and Singapore. In the year 2018, India became the 5th largest source of tourist arrivals in this beautiful nation of Maldives. Hence, the Maldivian economy is very much dependent on their tourism sector, which is the major source of their foreign exchange or earnings and the source of government revenue.

Did You Know?

1. Maldives was the first neighbouring country of India that received the essential medicines against the fight against COVID-19.

2. A total of 6.2 tonnes of the essential medicines is supplied by India to the neighbouring country of Maldives, under  Operation Sanjeevani their assistance in the fight against COVID 19 was quite a success.

3. The medicines were delivered to the Maldives by an Indian aircraft named - Hercules C-130J-30 

4. Lopinavir and ritonavir - were have used to treat the patients with COVID-19 virus in some foreign countries.

5. The two Advanced Light Helicopters (abbreviated as ALH), which were given by India to the Maldivian armed forces was used in saving the Maldivians. This Advanced Light Helicopter plays a multi-role, in new generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, this is made by the Indian company - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).