New Delhi: India on Friday launched Operation Amistad, dispatching two Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying a specialised Army medical team, field hospital facilities, and more than 35 tonnes of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Venezuela.
Announcing the mission on X, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the operation reflects India’s commitment to supporting the people and government of Venezuela during the crisis. The relief package includes an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit, medicines, medical equipment, relief supplies, and two indigenous BHISHM Cubes, designed for rapid disaster response.
The BHISHM Cube is a portable, modular medical facility that can be quickly assembled into a fully operational field hospital. It is capable of treating up to 200 patients and is equipped with trauma care facilities, emergency surgical equipment, intensive care support, portable ventilators, patient monitors, diagnostic devices, oxygen systems, and power generation units.
The Ministry of Defence said the medical contingent, drawn from the 60 Para Field Hospital, consists of 41 personnel, including nine medical officers. The team is equipped to provide emergency healthcare, trauma management, life-saving surgeries, and other essential medical services. It is also carrying nearly six tonnes of medical stores and humanitarian relief supplies provided by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The relief mission departed from Hindon Air Force Station aboard two IAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft. Since the aerial distance between India and Venezuela is approximately 14,300 kilometres, the aircraft will make refuelling stops at friendly countries during the journey.
India’s assistance comes as Venezuela battles the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. The shallow quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 just 40 seconds apart, were the strongest to hit the South American nation in more than a century and the deadliest in decades.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the death toll has risen to at least 235, with hundreds more feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The earthquakes caused widespread destruction along the country’s central coast and in the capital, Caracas, triggering building collapses, power outages, communication failures, and repeated aftershocks that continue to hamper rescue operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier expressed deep sorrow over the disaster and assured Venezuela that India stands ready to provide all possible assistance during this challenging time.
With inputs from IANS