Operation Samudra Setu II : Indian Navy brings 340 MT LMO
25 May 2021 17:20:17
New Delhi, May 25: The Indian Navy has brought to India 340 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen, more than 3,700 oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies from abroad as the country continues to face a severe second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The supplies have been brought by two warships from Singapore, Brunei and Qatar.
Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal has informed that naval ship INS Jalashwa arrived at Visakhapatnam bringing 300 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) and over 3,600 oxygen cylinders from Singapore and Brunei. It was the largest consignment of LMO brought to India from abroad. The ship also transported some other medical equipment including ventilators and empty cryogenic oxygen containers. Another ship, INS Trikand, arrived in Mumbai carrying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen and 100 oxygen cylinders from Qatar, Commander Madhwal said.
The two warships are part of nine ships deployed by the Indian Navy under operation 'Samudra Setu II' for shipment of liquid medical oxygen and associated equipment from friendly foreign countries in the Persian Gulf and South-East Asia. The Indian Navy stepped up its efforts as ships from all three naval commands in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi were deployed to bring oxygen and other medical equipment under operation 'Samudra Setu II' following a shortage of oxygen supply in the country triggered by rising COVID-19 cases.
In 2020, the Indian Navy had launched Operation Samudra Setu as part of the Vande Bharat evacuation mission under which it brought back to India around 4,000 stranded Indians from Maldives, Sri Lanka and Iran. In India's severe battle against COVID 19 during the ongoing devastating second wave, around 40 countries have sent medical supplies including oxygen-related equipment, in order to help tide over the situation. The leading countries that have supplied assistance to India include the US, Russia, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Singapore, Portugal, Sweden, New Zealand, Kuwait and Mauritius.