Indian naval ships have been deployed under Operation Samudra Setu-II to bring oxygen tanks, cylinders and ventilators

INS Airavat of the Eastern Naval Command arrived at Visakhapatnam on Thursday with COVID relief material including cryogenic oxygen tanks, oxygen cylinders and ventilators from Vietnam and Singapore.

This was done under Operation Samudra Setu-II, which was launched by the Indian Navy for shipment of COVID relief material included filled medical Oxygen cryogenic tanks, cylinders and associated medical equipment from various countries in support of the nation’s fight against Covid-19.

As part of the operation, INS Airavat embarked 140 MT of Liquid Medical Oxygen in seven cryogenic oxygen tanks, 3898 oxygen cylinders and other COVID relief material including 100 ventilators from Vietnam and Singapore which were facilitated by the Indian Missions.

The consignment is being handed over to various government agencies and NGOs after disembarkation.

In support of the nation’s fight against Covid-19 and as part of operation 'Samudra Setu II’, seven Indian Naval ships viz. Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries.

INS Kolkata and INS Talwar deployed in Persian Gulf, were the first batch of ships that were immediately diverted for the task and entered port of Manama, Bahrain on April 30, 2021.

Indian Navy also has the surge capability, to deploy more ships when the need arises to further nation's fight against COVID-19.

It is pertinent that the ships are combat-ready and capable of meeting any contingency in keeping with the attributes of versatility of sea power.

It may be recalled that Operation Samudra Setu-I was launched last year by the Navy and around 4000 Indian citizens stranded in neighbouring countries, amidst COVID 19 outbreak, were successfully repatriated back to India.