Mint Quick Edit | Aid for Myanmar matters in multiple ways
Summary
- Operation Brahma, India’s quick response package to assist the quake-stricken country, is a humanitarian effort above all. Good neighbourly ties pay long-term dividends too.
With Myanmar devastated by an earthquake that has claimed more than 1,600 lives, India has initiated efforts to assist it in relief and rescue missions. Under Operation Brahma, two naval ships with relief supplies were despatched. Two others will follow.
Also Read: Earthquake insurance: India’s coverage is woefully inadequate
Also, the Air Force has been deployed to send aid material as well as search and rescue teams, even as a 118-member army field hospital unit is being sent for medical assistance.
New Delhi’s swift response is laudable from both a humanitarian and strategic perspective.
Also Read: Mint Explainer: Why India supports Myanmar's contested military regime
Though India has had trouble with insurgents in the Northeast being trained in Myanmar, broader ties with the eastern neighbour have been positive. Helping Myanmar in its hour of grief should help generate goodwill. Moreover, it’s important for India to stay active in its neighbourhood, where China is trying to deepen relations and encircle India.
Also Read: Indo-Pacific security: India mustn’t let Diego Garcia fall off its map
New Delhi’s recent efforts to help Turkey and Syria were noted around the world, as with its pandemic-time supply of covid vaccines. India must keep up its soft diplomacy. Good neighbourly relations are a long-term asset, especially as they undergo reversals elsewhere around the globe.
