India has launched ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to Sri Lanka, which has been battered by Cyclone Ditwah.
1. What is ‘Sagar Bandhu’?
- Objective: To deliver essential relief supplies and assist Sri Lanka in post-cyclone recovery.
- Trigger: The operation was initiated following a formal request from Sri Lankan defence officials, specifically utilizing Indian naval assets present in the region.
- Policy Anchor: The operation aligns with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the newly articulated Vision MAHASAGAR.
2. Naval Assets Deployed
The relief material was transported by two key Indian Naval ships which were already in Sri Lanka for an International Fleet Review (IFR):
- INS Vikrant:
- Type: Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1).
- Significance: First aircraft carrier built in India (Cochin Shipyard). It was requested specifically for its aviation capabilities to aid relief operations.
- INS Udaygiri:
- Type: Indigenous Stealth Frigate.
- Class: Part of the Project 17A frigates (Follow-on to the Shivalik class).
- Features: Improved stealth features, advanced weapons, and sensors.
3. Vision MAHASAGAR
- Definition: The article defines MAHASAGAR as “Mutual And Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions”.
- Origin: Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mauritius (March).
- Focus: It targets engagement with the Global South, reinforcing India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Note: This builds upon the existing SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine.
4. ABOUT CYCLONE Ditwah
- C yclone Name: Ditwah Cyclones in the North Indian Ocean are named by a panel of 13 countries; ‘Ditwah’ is a name contributed by Yemen).
- Diplomacy: The use of military assets for “Soft Power” projection is a classic example of Defence Diplomacy.
