E-Paper
Under Mission Sagar, INS Kesari delivers 500 tonnes of food aid to Mozambique
It is the eighth such deployment under Mission Sagar and is being conducted in close coordination with the ministry of external affairs, and other central government agencies.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari on Saturday reached Port of Maputo, Mozambique to deliver 500 tonnes of food aid under Mission Security And Growth for All in the Region (Sagar). It is the eighth such deployment under Mission Sagar and is being conducted in close coordination with the ministry of external affairs, and other central government agencies.
"500 tonnes of food aid has been shipped by INS Kesari to support the efforts of Government of Mozambique to cope with the ongoing drought and concurrent challenges of the pandemic," the ministry of defence said in a statement.
"India also remains committed to supporting the capacity building efforts of the Armed Forces of Mozambique. To this end Kesari is carrying two Fast Interceptor Craft and self-defence equipment to be handed over to the Armed Forces of Mozambique," it added.
INS Kesari undertook similar missions between May and June 2020 to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros. The aid also included the deployment of medical assistance teams of the Indian Navy in multiple locations during the initial days of the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).
Under the Sagar Mission, the Indian Navy has delivered assistance of more than 3,000 metric tons of food aid, over 300 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen, 900 oxygen concentrators and 20 ISO containers to 15 friendly foreign countries over 215 days at sea, according to the ministry.
"Whilst undertaking, these missions Indian Naval Ships have traversed a cumulative distance of close to 40,000 nm which is nearly twice the circumference of the earth. With a steadfast intent of making such high quantum of humanitarian assistance reach its destination in time, personnel from ships and shore organisations of Indian Navy have invested close to a million man-hours to deliver succour to our friends overseas," added the release.
