Hindon Airbase received a warning order on March 29, 2025, to keep two C 130 J Hercules ready for a disaster relief mission as the global news channels announced a massive earthquake had struck Myanmar and Thailand at 1220 am on March 28. The quake’s epicentre was the Sagaing Fault in central Myanmar and its intensity was 7.7 on the Richter scale, followed by more tremors of 6.6 magnitude. The Indian forces completed the mobilisation in record time, and two aircraft took off at the dusk of March 29 along with 80 NDRF troops with 15 tonnes of assorted relief material for victims, along with Search and Rescue equipment.
The destination was 2223 km away, Nay Pyi Daw International Airport, the capital of Myanmar. Two Hercules of IAF safely landed at 2300h on March 29 and were received by Indian Ambassador Abhay Thakur and Maung Lynn of Myanmar foreign ministry. World media was amazed as India was the first country to respond. India despatched 40 tonnes of relief material, search and rescue teams, and a Field Hospital within the shortest possible time frame.
Myanmar was known as Burma during the Colonial days. Myanmar gained independence on January 4, 1948, from the British. It shares borders with India and Bangladesh to the west, China to the northeast, and Laos and Thailand to the east. It has a population of 55 million and a land mass of 6.7 lakh square km. Nearly 90% of the population is Buddhist. For most of the period, Myanmar has a military junta government. Yangon (old Rangoon) in the south, Nyi Pyi Daw in the central region and Mandalay in the north are major cities, connected by a 523 km 10-lane express highway. Yangon International Airport and Nyi Pai Daw International Airport are the two largest airports and Yangon Port is also an important harbour in the Bay of Bengal.
A massive earthquake of 7.7 magnitudes hit the Mandalay region of Myanmar causing heavy destruction, toppling multi-storey buildings, demolishing Road and Rail bridges, and developing deep cracks on the surface. The initial estimates were nearly 1700 people killed, 3400 injured and 300 missing. The casualties may rise. The destruction has even spilled over to Bangkok in Thailand and neighbouring Chinese provinces.
A massive earthquake of 7.7 magnitudes hit the Mandalay region of Myanmar causing heavy destruction, toppling multi-storey buildings, demolishing Road and Rail bridges, and developing deep cracks on the surface. The destruction even spilled over to Bangkok in Thailand and neighbouring Chinese provinces
Assessing the critical situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to General Min Aung Hlaing, Head of the State, within a few hours of the disaster. General Hlaing has been heading the military government since February 2021. The Indian PM extended him all assistance and conveyed that India stands in solidarity with his immediate neighbour and close friend in an hour of crisis. In a swift action, Foreign Minister Dr S Jayshankar held a coordination meeting in MEA with officers from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, NDRF, and Operation Brahma (God of Creation) launched on clearance from PMO on March 29, 2025.
Two IAF C 130 J transport aircraft ferried 30 tonnes of relief material to Yangon and handed over to the Myanmar Red Cross. The Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) tranche includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, food packets, water bottles, purifiers, solar lamps, stoves, generator sets, and essential medicines. An 80-member NDRF team also was transported in the cargo aircraft along with K 9 Teams to Nyi Pyi Daw with sniffers and search dogs for search and rescue missions. The rescue teams, already deployed, located and evacuated about 100 injured citizens.
On March 29, Para Brigade Field Ambulance was airlifted by two C 17 Globe Masters, from Agra Air Base with 118 members under Lt Col Jagneet Singh Gill and landed under cover of darkness, A 60 Bed Field Hospital was established at Mandalay and was fully operational by First light of March 30. The Field Hospital is equipped with a trauma management centre, X-ray facility and surgical operation theatre. The Unit has a combination of specialists, male/female medical officers, nursing staff and technicians. By April 1, it was upgraded to a 100-bed hospital.
Two IAF C 130 J transport aircraft ferried 30 tonnes of relief material to Yangon. The Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) tranche includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, food packets, water bottles, purifiers, solar lamps, stoves, generator sets, and essential medicines
The Indian Navy was also mobilised. Eastern Naval Command despatched three Naval Ships – INS Ghariyal, INS Savitri and INS Satpura for Yangon Port of Myanmar loaded with relief materials for the people of Myanmar. Moreover, Andaman Nicobar Command also sent two Naval Vessels INS Kamruk and LCU 52 with food materials, blankets and medicines. Indian vessels have already reached Yangon port and handed over about 80 tonnes of essential supplies for victims.
The United Nations has appreciated India’s response to sending search and rescue teams, medical teams and relief materials to Myanmar. A naval ship with about 50 tonnes of rice and food materials is already en route. Two more Hercules aircraft took off from the Hindon Air Force Station with more supplies and medicines. Subsequently, relief teams from the USA, Russia, China and Singapore joined the Humanitarian Disaster Relief Mission along with the Indian Task Force. There are about 15,000 Indian families in Myanmar. MEA officials are constantly monitoring the situation.
The United Nations praised India’s response to sending search and rescue teams, medical teams and relief materials to Myanmar. A naval ship with about 50 tonnes of rice and food materials is already en route. Two more Hercules aircraft took off from the Hindon Air Force Station with supplies and medicines
India has undertaken a number of Disaster Relief Missions for various nations in distress. Operation Maitry (Haiti 2010), Operation Rahat (Nepal Earthquake 2015), Operation Sanjeevni (Maldives 2020), Operation Dost (Turkyie, Syria Earthquake 2023), Maldives Water crisis and many more. India always believed in ‘Vasudehvaya Kutumbakam’, which means the whole world is One Family and helps its neighbours every time.
-The writer is an Indian Army veteran and a defence analyst. He has keen interest in Geo-strategic affairs and writes regularly on internal and external affairs issues related to India and neighbours. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
