The INS Tarkash on Wednesday, shipped a consignment of 20 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen and 230 oxygen cylinders from Qatar to Mumbai to aid India's medical line of defence against the COVID-19 spread. The transfer was facilitated by the Indian Navy under its COVID relief operation 'Samudra Setu II', which has deployed several naval vessels to ferry medical equipment to the country. Apart from Mumbai, naval bases at Visakhapatnam and Kochi have also ramped up efforts to bring COVID relief measures to the country.
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Reportedly, 2 tankers packed with 20 MT medical-grade oxygen were brought in at the Mumbai Naval Base as a part of the French Mission 'Oxygen Solidarity Bridge'. The oxygen cylinders, on the other hand, are a present from the Indian diaspora in Qatar. The Navy informed that the shipment was handed over to Maharashtra's civic administrator for further necessary action.
A similar consignment of 40 MT of LMO was also ferried from Qatar to Mumbai via INS Trikan on Monday. As per an official statement, this was the maiden shipment of French Air Liquide containers from Qatar to India.
Amid a shortage of COVID-19 resources in several parts of the country, the Indian Navy rolled out Operation 'Samudra Setu II' that has been modelled to bring clinical support to India from across the globe. Several international allies have pledged their support to India's frontline war with the second wave of coronavirus. These nations have extended medical and oxygen supplies and equipment to the country to tame the surging COVID spike.
Before this, the first instalment of the same operation, was launched as an asset to the Vande Bharat evacuation mission. Here, the Indian Naval Ship brought about 4,000 Indians from Maldives, Sri Lanka and Iran during peak lockdown last year.
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