India has launched ‘Operation Amistad’ to support earthquake-hit Venezuela, with two Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft carrying a field hospital unit and more than 35 tonnes of relief supplies, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Friday.
“Operation Amistad underway! Two IAF C17s took off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts,” Jaishankar posted on X.
The operation will enhance India’s status as a first-responder country, which sends humanitarian assistance during natural disasters throughout the world.
Operation Amistad underway!
Two @IAF_MCC C17s took-off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts.
The assistance contains an Indian Army @adgpi Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical… pic.twitter.com/Dcq8P065tp
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 26, 2026
The death count in Venezuela following the deadly double earthquakes has risen to 235, while 4,300 people have been injured, health minister Carlos Alvarado said on Thursday evening.
Deployment of Specialised Army Medical Contingent
The Army says that a medical contingent has already taken off from Hindon Air Force Station and has begun the journey to Venezuela on two Indian Air Force aircraft.
The contingent consists of 41 personnel, including 9 medical officers of the 60 Para Field Hospital of the Indian Army.
This specialised unit of the Indian Army is trained to provide healthcare during disasters and conflicts.
On reaching Venezuela, the contingent will set up the facilities to provide emergency healthcare to those who have been hurt in the earthquakes.
The team has the capability of providing trauma management, emergency surgeries, life-saving treatments, and other critical healthcare services in the areas whose medical infrastructure has suffered heavily due to the disaster.
The Army contingent is taking with them around 6 tonnes of medicines, medical equipment, and humanitarian relief supplies, which have been provided by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Deployment of the BHISHM Cube to Enhance Relief Operations
One of the important components of India’s assistance package is the BHISHM Cube (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri), which is an indigenous modular emergency medical facility developed as a part of India’s Aarogya Maitri Project.
This particular module has been especially designed for humanitarian disasters and disaster relief purposes and can be rapidly transported and set up as a fully functional field hospital in a very short span of time.
The medical module has the capability of providing advanced trauma care, emergency surgeries, intensive care support, and other essential healthcare treatment to as many as 200 patients.
The module is complete with portable ventilators, patient monitors, diagnostic tools, surgical tools, oxygen supply systems,s and also has its own independent power supply and thus helps doctors provide medical treatment even at places where there are no hospitals or damaged medical infrastructure.
The deployment of the BHISHM cube has helped immensely in enhancing India’s capability to provide rapid medical assistance anywhere in the world.
More than 35 Tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance
The entire assistance operation consists of more than 35 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including medicines, medical equipment and emergency relief material.
The relief operation is being carried out through the Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transport aircraft, which provides rapid deployment capability of personnel, medical modules, and other relief materials over a large distance.
India’s Commitment to Humanitarian Assistance
Talking about the relief operation, Minister Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to help Venezuela during the present crisis.
“The assistance contains an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tonnes of relief supplies, medicines, and medical equipment, including two BHISHM Cubes. India is committed to supporting the Government and people of Venezuela in this difficult time,” he said.
India’s dispatch of the army medical contingent through Operation Amistad is a continuation of India’s policy of helping nations hit by natural disasters and other emergencies.
Over the past few years, India has carried out several overseas relief operations and has used its navy ships, military transport aircraft, and medical contingent and disaster response experts to help various nations deal with situations like earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and conflicts.
