Lok Sabha Question No. 4683 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Emergency Medical Assistance
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Naveen Jindal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4683

ANSWERED ON - 28/03/2025

## EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

## 4683 SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a)   whether   the   Government   has   recently   dispatched   significant consignments of emergency  medical assistance to various countries and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether this humanitarian aid aims to support healthcare needs and enhance disaster preparedness in recipient countries and if so, the   manner   in   which   it   aligns   with   the   broader   foreign   policy objectives of the Government;

(c) whether historical and cultural ties with recipient nations have influenced the decision to provide such assistance and if  so, the initiatives being undertaken to strengthen bilateral relations further; and

(d) whether there are any plans for future collaborations with these countries in sectors such as healthcare, education or technology and if so, the details and the expected outcomes of such partnerships?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) India provided medical aid to 43 countries in FY 2024-25, as detailed in Annexure-I.

(b) India's   humanitarian   aid   and   disaster   relief   (HADR)   to   our partner countries is focussed on providing timely assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering, maintain and protect human dignity during and   post   disaster.   Our   humanitarian   aid   is   disaster-specific   and demand-driven. The aid includes essential resources such as food supplies,   essential   medicines   and   medical   consumables,   medical equipment,   temporary   shelter   items,   energy   resources   viz.   solar lanterns,   diesel   generators   etc.  The   medical   aid   provided   in   the aftermath   of   disasters   aims   to   provide   immediate   relief,   evade disease outbreaks, address long-term impacts of disasters and assist rehabilitation efforts, whereas the demand-driven medical assistance

focuses on providing robust medical facilities and sustainable health infrastructure to partner countries.

India's   HADR   efforts   abroad   align   with   its   broader   foreign   policy objectives including   Neighbourhood First  policy,  SAGAR  (Security and Growth for All in the Region) outlook, Act East policy and India's broader commitment to the Global South countries.

(c)   &   (d)  India   shares   historic   and   close   bilateral   relations   with recipient   nations,   which   over   the   years   have   been   enhanced   by India's support to the development, socio-economic and humanitarian needs of these nations. Apart from  historical and cultural ties, our guiding   philosophies   viz.  Vasudhaiva   Kutumbakam,  Vishwabandhu etc. also reinforce our role as a compassionate partner in times of crises. Healthcare, education and technology are key sectors that drive our development partnerships with our partner countries. India continues to undertake several projects in the health, education and technology sectors with our neighbours and our partner countries beyond to meet their stated needs and requirements. Some of these partnerships   involve   setting   up   of   hospitals/clinics,   supplies   of medical   equipment   and   consumables,   and   training   of   healthcare technicians and officials. In recent times, our initiatives in the area

of Recognition of Indian Pharmacopeia(IP) and supply of affordable medicines to partner countries through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana(PMBJP) schemes have become ingredients of our cooperation with partner countries.

## ANNEXURE-I

## Details of HADR Assistance and Medical Aid provided by India in FY

## 2024-25

|   S. No. | Name of Country                       | HADR/Evacuation Op.                                                                                                      |
|----------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Guatemala                             | Medical aid weighing approx. 1222 Kgs                                                                                    |
|        2 | Fiji                                  | Medicines weighing approx. 7642 Kgs for IMCI Programe of Fiji                                                            |
|        3 | Kenya (Flash Floods)                  | (i) Flood relief by INS Sumedha & 22 tonnes of HADR supply; (ii) CT Scan infrastructure                                  |
|        4 | Papua New Guinea (Massive Landslides) | (i)6 tons of medical supplies along with 19 tons of disaster relief material (ii) 12 HD machines with portable RO units. |
|        5 | Cuba                                  | (i) 09 made-in-India Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) weighing approx. 90 tonnes                                 |

|    |                                            | (ii) Medical aid weighing approx. 11 tons                    |
|----|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|  6 | Haiti (Civil Crisis)                       | 09 tonnes of medical aid                                     |
|  7 | Syria                                      | Anti-Cancer medicines weighing around 1400 Kgs               |
|  8 | El Salvador (Hurricane Beryl)              | 50 tons of disaster relief material                          |
|  9 | Ukraine                                    | 04 BHISHM cubes and 10 Gensets                               |
| 10 | Namibia                                    | 1,000 MT Rice and 1,000 MT Maize                             |
| 11 | Zambia                                     | 2,500 MT of Maize                                            |
| 12 | Malawi                                     | 1,000 MT of Rice                                             |
| 13 | Zimbabwe                                   | 1,000 MT of Rice                                             |
| 14 | Lesotho                                    | 1000MT Rice and 1000MT Sorghum                               |
| 15 | St. Vincent & Grenadines (Hurricane Beryl) | 60 tonnes of HADR assistance                                 |
| 16 | Chad (Fire in Military Ammunition Depot)   | Approx. 2300Kg of medical aid                                |
| 17 | Myanmar (Op. SADBHAV)                      | (i) 53 tons of HADR material including medical aid under Op. |

|    |                              | Sadbhav (ii) 2200MT Rice                                         |
|----|------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 18 | Lao PDR (Op. SADBHAV)        | 10 tons of HADR material including medical aid under Op. Sadbhav |
| 19 | Vietnam (Op. SADBHAV)        | 35 tons of HADR material including medical aid under Op. Sadbhav |
| 20 | Nepal                        | (i) 36 tons of HADR assistance (ii) 10 Bailey bridges            |
| 21 | Republic of Marshall Islands | 03 HD machines with Portable RO units                            |
| 22 | Palau                        | 01 HD machine with portable RO unit                              |
| 23 | Samoa                        | 01 HD machine with portable RO unit                              |
| 24 | Solomon Island               | 01 HD machine with portable RO unit                              |
| 25 | Nauru                        | 01 HD machine with portable RO unit                              |

|   26. | Lebanon                                          | 33 Tons of medical aid                                        |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|    27 | West Bank, Palestine                             | 36 tons of life-saving medicines and anti-cancer drugs        |
|    28 | Gaza, Palestine                                  | 30 tons of humanitarian aid through UNRWA                     |
|    29 | Jamaica (Hurricane Beryl)                        | Medical equipment and diesel gensets weighing approx. 58 tons |
|    30 | Nigeria (Flash Floods)                           | 50 tonnes of HADR assistance                                  |
|    31 | Mauritius                                        | Medical aid weighing approx 80kgs                             |
|    32 | Kurdistan (Chemical weapon survivors at Halabja) | Medical aid in February 2025                                  |
|    33 | Equatorial Guinea                                | 10 tons of Medical aid                                        |
|    34 | Sao Tome Principe                                | 300 Kgs of medical aid                                        |
|    35 | Yemen                                            | 25 tonnes of medical aid                                      |
|    36 | Djibouti                                         | 20 Haemo-Dialysis Machines and one RO Plant                   |
|    37 | Sudan                                            | 2 tons of Medical aid                                         |
|    38 | Sri Lanka                                        | 50,000 ampoules of Furosemide                                 |

|    |                                | injection                                    |
|----|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| 39 | Honduras (Tropical Storm SARA) | 26 tons of humanitarian aid                  |
| 40 | Botswana (Flood)               | Flood relief Aid of approx. 15 tonnes        |
| 41 | Vanuatu (Earthquake)           | 19 Tons of Disaster relief and medical aid   |
| 42 | Kiribati                       | 06 bedded containerized units of HD machines |
| 43 | Bolivia                        | Humanitarian aid of firefighting equipment   |

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