Indian Navy steps up COVID Relief Operations: Nine Warships transporting Oxygen, Medical Equipment from Abroad

The Indian Navy has stepped up its COVID relief Operation Samudra Setu II with ships from all three Naval Commands in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi, deployed for shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen and associated medical equipment from friendly foreign countries in Persian Gulf and South East Asia.

On the Western seaboard, Indian Naval Ship Talwar entered the port of New Mangalore in Karnataka on 5th May, ferrying two 27 tons liquid oxygen tanks from Bahrain. INS Kolkata, deployed in Persian Gulf, also departed Kuwait on 5th May after embarking two 27 ton oxygen tanks, 400 Oxygen cylinders and 47 concentrators. In addition, four warships are also enroute to Qatar and Kuwait, to embark around nine 27-ton Oxygen tanks and more than 1500 oxygen cylinders from these countries.

On the Eastern Seaboard, Indian Naval Ship Airavat, departed Singapore today with more than 3600 oxygen cylinders, eight 27 ton (216 tons) oxygen tanks, 10000 Rapid Antigen Detection Test Kits & 7 concentrators while INS Jalashwa remains deployed in the region, standing by to embark medical stores at short notice.

INS Shardul, the Landing Ship Tank of the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, is also on its way to Persian Gulf to bring three liquid Oxygen filled cryogenic containers. It may be recalled that INS Jalashwa and INS Shardul, had also participated in Operation Samudra Setu last year to repatriate stranded Indian citizens from abroad.

The deployment of nine warships as part of ‘Operation Samudra Setu II’ forms a part of the multiple lines of effort, by the GoI and the Indian Navy to supplement the oxygen requirement in the country.