Opinion Myanmar’s earthquake, India’s role

The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28 was one of the strongest to hit the region in years, also causing severe damage in neighbouring Thailand. The scale of the destruction in Myanmar is still being assessed, but it could take weeks to determine the accurate death toll, and economic damages could surpass its entire GDP. Already struggling with a brutal civil war for the last four years in the aftermath of a military coup that culminated in the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar now faces an even greater humanitarian crisis. Pictures of historic monasteries, pagodas and mosques crumbling also frame the terrible toll. Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, which coordinates the popular struggle against the ruling military, has announced a unilateral, partial two-week ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts, and the junta has made a rare appeal for international assistance. India, acting as a first responder, has been quick to dispatch humanitarian aid to its embattled neighbour.

This follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Saturday morning phone call with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who heads the junta — his first call with the military leader since the February 2021 coup. Through its swift efforts to get relief to Myanmar, India has acted in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). Under “Operation Brahma”, the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have been deployed. Multiple aircraft have departed, with the first carrying 15 tonnes of relief material, and two ships, INS Satpura and INS Savitri, carrying 40 tonnes of aid, set sail on March 29 to the Port of Yangon — two more are expected to start soon. The Indian Army has also established a 60-bed medical treatment centre with 118 medical personnel to provide critical care. An 80-member National Disaster Response Force team for rescue operations has been dispatched with concrete cutters, drill machines and canine squads to assist local authorities in rescuing people still trapped under the debris.

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Delhi has a strong track record of providing emergency aid abroad during natural disasters, health emergencies, and conflicts. India launched Operation Maitri after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015. In response to appeals made by the United Nations for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, India provided 50,000 metric tons of wheat, essential medicines, and COVID-19 vaccines. India was also at the forefront of the international aid effort after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, recorded as the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century, killing an estimated 2,27,898 people in 14 countries (including thousands in Tamil Nadu). As Myanmar struggles to get back on its feet, sustained support will be essential for rebuilding lives and infrastructure. India should continue to lend a helping hand.