Operation Brahma: Indian Army Engineers assess quake damage in Myanmar
Yangon: In response to a formal request from the Government of Myanmar, a specialist team of Indian Army Engineers arrived in the country on 6 April 2025 under Operation Brahma, further reaffirming India's ongoing commitment to regional support and humanitarian relief.
According to the Indian Army, the Engineer Recce Team--led by the unit's Commanding Officer and comprising one officer and five personnel--has been deployed to assess earthquake-affected infrastructure in the Mandalay and Naypyitaw regions.
The deployment marks a crucial phase in India's continued efforts to support Myanmar following the deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the nation on 28 March. The team has been conducting a comprehensive assessment of damaged structures and facilities, providing critical technical input to guide ongoing relief and reconstruction measures.
Operation Brahma has been India's dedicated humanitarian outreach to Myanmar in the wake of the disaster. As part of this initiative, India has also extended aid to the Indian diaspora in the Yangon region.
The Embassy of India in Myanmar stated that Ambassador Abhay Thakur handed over 15 tonnes of rice, cooking oil, and foodstuff to a local community relief group. The Consulate General of India in Mandalay similarly contributed by providing a generator set, water purifier, and cooking oil to the Ambika temple kitchen, which is currently serving meals to 4,000 people daily.
"Giving a helping hand to our diaspora. This week, Ambassador Abhay Thakur handed over 15 T rice, cooking oil & foodstuff to the community Relief Group in Yangon, and the Consulate General of India in Mandalay gave a genset, water purifier & cooking oil for Ambika temple kitchen serving 4000 pax daily," the embassy said on X.
In Mandalay, India has also set up a Field Hospital to treat the injured. As of 9 April, the Indian Army reported that a total of 1,651 patients had been treated at the facility, including 281 on that day alone.
Medical teams have performed seven major surgeries and 38 minor procedures. India also delivered 442 tonnes of food aid last Friday, part of a cumulative 625 metric tonnes of humanitarian supplies sent under Operation Brahma.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 80 personnel and four specially trained canine units, has also been deployed to support rescue operations on the ground.
According to Myanmar's State Administration Council, the earthquake has claimed 3,645 lives, injured 5,017 people, and left 148 missing. With damage spread across six regions--including the capital--and critical infrastructure disrupted, the situation remains dire.
The disaster has compounded an already severe humanitarian crisis from the ongoing civil war, which has displaced over three million people and left nearly 20 million in need of aid, according to UN figures cited by Al Jazeera.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Times of Oman
India, Mongolia hold joint military drill 'Nomadic Elephant 2025' in Ulaanbaatar
New Delhi: The 17th edition of the joint military exercise 'Nomadic Elephant 2025' between India and Mongolia is currently underway at the Special Forces Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar, the Indian Army said. According to the Indian Army, the training focuses on conducting non-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. The objective is to enhance the operational capabilities of both forces. Participating contingents are actively exchanging best practices in counter-terrorism operations and precision sniping, thereby improving interoperability. Through these joint drills, Indian and Mongolian forces aim to strengthen their ability to respond effectively to contemporary security challenges. The 'Nomadic Elephant 2025' exercise began on May 31 and is scheduled to continue until June 13, 2025. The opening ceremony was attended by key dignitaries, including India's Ambassador to Mongolia, Atul Malhari Gotsurve, and Major General Lkhagvasuren Ganselem from the Mongolian side. Both leaders extended their best wishes to the participating troops and expressed hope that the exercise would further strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding between the armed forces of India and Mongolia. They emphasised that the joint exercise would enhance the operational readiness of both armies and contribute to deepening the enduring defence relationship between the two nations. This annual exercise is conducted alternately in India and Mongolia. The last edition was held at Umroi, Meghalaya, in July 2024. The Indian contingent comprises 45 personnel, mainly troops from a battalion of the Arunachal Scouts. The Mongolian armed forces contingent, of similar strength, is represented by a 150 Special Forces unit. The joint drills will include counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous terrain, endurance training, reflex shooting, room intervention, small team tactics, rock craft training, and cyber warfare aspects.
Observer
4 days ago
- Observer
UK and India discuss cooperation amidst Lammy's visit
NEW DELHI: Britain and India on Saturday discussed expanding their "counter-terrorism" collaboration following recent fighting between India and Pakistan, Britain's foreign minister said after meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. British foreign minister David Lammy is the highest-profile Western official to have visited both New Delhi and Islamabad since the South Asian neighbours agreed to a ceasefire last month after their worst fighting in nearly three decades. The latest tensions began in April after the killing of 26 men in Indian Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denied. India then attacked what it called "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan, leading to escalation from both sides until a May 10 ceasefire. "We want the situation to be maintained, but of course we recognise fragility, particularly in the backdrop of terrorism, terrorism designed to destabilise India," Lammy said in an interview at the residence of the British High Commissioner in New Delhi. "We are keen to continue to work with our Indian partners on counter-terrorism measures." He said he discussed the next steps with both Modi and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, but gave no specifics. Last year, India and Britain discussed combating the financing of terrorism, cooperation between law enforcement and judicial bodies; and information sharing. Lammy said he also discussed boosting trade between the world's fifth and sixth largest economies. The countries concluded talks for a free trade deal early last month. "I know that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is very much looking forward to coming to India very soon to sign the free trade agreement," Lammy said. "There is so much that our two nations can continue to do together." Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the upcoming Group of Seven summit in a phone call, as the two sides look to mend ties after relations soured in the past two years. The leaders agreed to remain in contact and looked forward to meeting at the G7 summit later this month, a readout from Carney's office said. India is not a G7 member but can be invited as a guest to its annual gathering, which will be held this year in Kananaskis in the Canadian province of Alberta, from June 15 to 17. "Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister (Carney)... thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit," Modi said in a post on X. Modi also stated in his post on Friday that India and Canada would work together "with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests." Bilateral ties deteriorated after Canada accused India of involvement in a murder and of attempting to interfere in two recent elections. Canada expelled several top Indian diplomats and consular officials in October 2024 after linking them to the murder and alleged a broader effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada. New Delhi has denied the allegations and expelled the same number of Canadian diplomats in response. India is Canada's 10th largest trading partner and Canada is the biggest exporter of pulses, including lentils, to India. Carney, who is trying to diversify trade away from the United States, said it made sense for the G7 to invite India, since it had the fifth-largest economy in the world and was at the heart of a number of supply chains. "In addition, bilaterally, we have now agreed, importantly, to continued law enforcement dialogue, so there's been some progress on that, that recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context," he told reporters in Ottawa. — Reuters
Muscat Daily
03-06-2025
- Muscat Daily
Good news expected soon on India-Oman FTA: Minister
Muscat – India and Oman are close to finalising a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with some 'good news' expected very soon regarding the signing of the deal, according to India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. As reported by several Indian media outlets on Monday, Goyal stated that negotiations between India and Oman on the proposed free trade agreement are progressing towards a conclusion. The talks gained renewed momentum following Goyal's visit to Muscat in January this year. The negotiations for the agreement, officially known as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), formally commenced in November 2023. 'I think you will see some good news very soon on the Oman FTA,' Goyal told reporters during his official visit to France, when asked whether the agreement could be concluded this year, according to PTI. Goyal was in France to hold discussions with French leaders and businesses aimed at enhancing trade and investment ties. He was also scheduled to attend a mini-ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday. Oman is India's third-largest export destination among the GCC countries. India already has a similar agreement in place with another GCC member, the United Arab Emirates, which came into effect in May 2022. India's key imports from Oman include petroleum products and urea, which together account for over 70% of total imports. Other significant imports from Oman comprise polymers of propylene and ethylene, petcoke, gypsum, chemicals, and iron and steel. Speaking about such FTAs, Goyal remarked that these agreements not only promote trade in goods and services, but also strengthen supply chains and instill confidence among businesses on both sides through stable policies and predictability, according to the PTI report. 'So, in a way, it's a big message when you conclude an FTA,' he added.
