Operation Samudra Setu – Burning Issues

Table of Contents

INDIAN NAVY LAUNCHES OPERATION “SAMUDRA SETU”

Indian Navy has launched Operation “Samudra Setu” -meaning “Sea Bridge”, as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas.
Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Magar are presently enrouteto the port of Malè, Republic of Maldives to commence evacuation operations from 08 May 2020 as part of Phase-1.

The Indian Mission in Republic of Maldives is preparing a list of Indian nationals to be evacuated by Naval ships and will facilitate their embarkation after requisite medical screening. A total of 1000 persons are planned to be evacuated during the first trip, catering for COVID-related social distancing norms vis-a-vis the carrying capacity and medical facilities available onboard.

INS Jalashwa (Landing Platform Dock or LPD) has a full load displacement of 17,521 tonnes and INS Magar (Landing Platform Tank) is an amphibious warfare vessel with a displacement of 5,750 tonnes. Both the ships are suitably provisioned for the evacuation operation.

Formerly USS Trenton, she, along with six Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopters were procured from the United States by India for a total of US$90 million in 2005.
She was commissioned on 22 June 2007. INS Jalashwa is the only Indian naval ship to be acquired from the United States.
She is also capable of embarking over 1,000 troops, and is fully equipped with extensive medical facilities including four operation theatres, a 12-bed ward, a laboratory and a dental centre

INS Magar is the lead ship of Magar-class amphibious warfare vessels of the Indian Navy.
She was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. She was commissioned to navy service on 15 July 1987.

Approximately 29,000 Indians live and work in the Maldives and almost 22,000 of them live in Malé’, the capital city. They comprise nurses, teachers, managers, doctors, engineers, accountants and other professionals. Besides them, there are skilled and unskilled personnel such as technicians, masons, tailors, plumbers, and other labourers. A sizeable proportion work in the tourism-related industries. Almost all of them hold Indian citizenship though they may get absorbed in the fabric of the local society.