Naval ship returns after relief mission

It was on a special COVID-19 relief mission to southern Indian Ocean Region

Indian Naval Ship INS Kesari arrived in Kochi on Sunday after 55 days of deployment to the southern Indian Ocean region as part of ‘Mission Sagar’.

The ship that was deployed on a special COVID-19 relief mission made port calls at Male (Maldives), Port Louis (Mauritius), Antsiranana (Madagascar), Moroni (Comoros Islands), and Port Victoria (Seychelles) for delivery of 580 tons of food and essential medical supplies to the local authorities. A 14-member Naval Medical Assistance Team was also deputed to Mauritius and Comoros for 20 days each, and it assisted local governments in formulating long-term strategy to counter COVID-19 through mutual sharing of experience.

India’s role

The shipment of essential medicines and the Naval Medical Assistance Team reaffirms India’s role as a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and reflects the country’s commitment to work together with its maritime neighbours and partners in the IOR.

The Prime Minister of Mauritius had personally thanked the Indian Prime Minister during a telephone conversation last month for deployment of

INS Kesari . Similarly, heads of States or senior dignitaries from other countries had expressed gratitude for the timely aid, said a Navy press release.