New Delhi: Amidst the global coronavirus COVID-19 crisis, India launched an 18-hour operation called Operation Sanjeevani to deliver 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines and hospital consumables to the Maldives. Indian Air Force (IAF) lifted medicines from airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai before delivering for the Maldives and the Indian Army facilitated the transport of these medicines and consumables from warehouses across India to the respective airports.


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Indian Envoy to the Maldives, Sanjay Sudhir, said, "We have been able to carry operation sanjeevani with help of Indian armed forces. It is a very important assistance to the Maldives. Maldives has been one of the foremost countries which have received Indian assistance during COVID crisis. It is a growing example of India's neighbourhood first policy and reciprocation of Maldives' India first policy. Friendship in action!"


Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid thanked India for the support and in a tweet said, "Friends & partners indeed! Thank u India for facilitating the transfer of 6.2 tonnes of medicines procured by STO from Indian cities to the Maldives. Special thanks to PM Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for this timely support! Close cooperation is essential to overcome COVID-19."


The medicines include influenza vaccines, anti-viral drugs such as Lopinavir and Ritonavir which have been used to treat patients with COVID-19 in other countries, medicines for cardiac conditions, kidney ailments, hypertension as well as consumables such as catheters, nebulisers, urine bags and infant feeding tubes.


India has been assisting Maldives during the COVID-19 crisis. New Delhi gifted 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines to the Maldives on March 14 and also sent a 14-member COVID-19 Rapid Response Team of doctors to enhance preparedness. It had evacuated 9 Maldives nationals from China's Wuhan which was once the epicentre of the crisis.