India launches Op Sadbhav to help typhoon-hit Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam; sends aid

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said 10 tonnes of aid including dry ration, clothing and medicines were dispatched to Myanmar onboard Indian naval ship INS Satpura.

New Delhi: India has launched 'Operation Sadbhav' to send humanitarian aid to three Southeast Asian nations where Typhoon Yagi wreaked havoc earlier this month.

New Delhi sent 10 tons of aid including dry ration, clothing, and medicines for the people of Myanmar onboard the Indian Navy’s warship INS Satpura. Besides, a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force flew to Ho Chi Minh City carrying 35 tons of aid comprising of water purification items, water containers, blankets, kitchen utensils, and solar lanterns for the people of Vietnam. India also sent 10 tons of aid comprising gensets, water purification items, hygiene supplies, mosquito nets, blankets, and sleeping bags for Lao PDR.

“Demonstrating our solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi, India is dispatching aid to Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X.

Typhoon Yagi – the most powerful storm in Asia in 2024 by far – resulted in floods and mudslides in Myanmar, killing over 100 people and displacing thousands. More than 60 people were killed and thousands were rendered homeless due to the typhoon in Vietnam, where a flood swept a busy bridge. In Lao PDR, over 1.41 lakh people were affected by the impacts of the tropical cyclone.

India has been among the first responders in providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to impacted countries. Operation Sadbhav is part of India’s broader effort to contribute to HADR within the ASEAN region, in line with its longstanding ‘Act East Policy’, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in New Delhi.