Mission Sagar: INS Kesari carrying 580 tonnes of food items reaches Maldives
New Delhi/UNI: As part of Mission SAGAR, Indian Navy's INS Kesari ship on Tuesday reached Male port in Maldives and dropped 580 tonnes of essential food items.
Maldives became the first stop for Indian Navy ship to deliver the consignment to the neighbouring country in the southern Indian Ocean Region.
The food aid includes 200 tonnes rice, 140 tonnes wheat flour, 80 tonnes sugar, 120 tonnes yellow pulses, onion 26 tonnes and potato 14 tonnes.
''INS Kesari is on a trip to five nations in the South Indian Ocean, including Seychelles and Mauritius for delivering essential food items, medicinal supply and assistance, in the wake of COVID crisis,'' an official said.
The Indian High Commission in Male said that the food aid is a token of friendship from the people of India to the people of Maldives during the holy month of Ramadan, adding that both Maldives and India have supported a regional strategy to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on people.
It added that this is another milestone in the time-honoured and close relations between the two nations.
The aid follows a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on April 20.
India has been assisting Maldives' Covid-19 response efforts since starting, including in evacuating Maldivians stranded in Wuhan of China, as well as sending a medical experts' team for assistance and providing essential medicines and other supplies.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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