Amidst India's second wave of COVID outbreak, INS (Indian Navy Ship) Talwar reached the New Mangalore Port with the first consignment of 54 tons of liquid oxygen from Bahrain on Wednesday.
INS Talwar is part of the Indian Navy's "Operation Samudra Setu-II" which aims to fulfil India's requirements of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) by shipping oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and other medical equipment from overseas suppliers.
Talking about the progress of Operation Samudra Setu II, Vice Admiral MS Pawar, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in a statement said that nine warships have been diverted to various ports extending from Kuwait in the West to Singapore in the East to bring in Oxygen and associated medical supplies from friendly foreign countries.
"As a part of the ongoing national effort to fight the Covid 19 pandemic, the Indian Navy has launched Operation Samudra Setu II to bring in by sea the much-needed Oxygen and associated medical supplies from friendly foreign countries. As many as nine warships have been diverted to various ports in the region extending from Kuwait in the West to Singapore in the East," he said.
The Vice-Admiral added that apart from INS Talwar, INS Airavat from Singapore and INS Kolkata from Kuwait are also heading back to India with liquid Oxygen, Oxygen filled cylinders, cryogenic tanks and other medical equipment.
"Three more warships are scheduled to pick up more supplies from Kuwait and Doha. The LPD INS Jalashwa, mission deployed in South East Asia is ready to be diverted to ports in the region as the situation demands," he said.
Indian Navy had launched Operation Samudra Setu last year to repatriate distressed citizens from IOR (Indian Ocean Rim) countries.
"Let me assure the countrymen that the Navy will continue with its efforts to bring relief and together, we will overcome this challenge," Vice Admiral Pawar said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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