Australian Air Force Delivers $1 Million Indian Aid to Papua New Guinea in Response to Volcanic Disaster

Defense News ,India :- In a rapid and compassionate response, the Australian Air Force executed the airlift of emergency relief assistance provided by India to Papua New Guinea on Monday. The relief consignment, valued at USD 1 million, was transported from Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, to Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain, for efficient distribution within the province.

The Indian High Commission in Papua New Guinea expressed gratitude, stating, "Responding to the immediate needs of PNG, emergency relief assistance worth US$ 1 million from India was swiftly airlifted to Kimbe (from Port Moresby) by @AusAirForce @AusHCPNG, for onward distribution within West New Britain province. A friend in need is a friend indeed!"

This initiative follows a commitment made by India to provide relief to the victims of the volcanic eruption in Papua New Guinea. Last month, a special charter flight, laden with supplies, departed from New Delhi as part of the USD 1 million aid package announced by India. The relief materials include approximately 11 tonnes of disaster relief supplies and 6 tonnes of medical aid.

India's assistance, framed as High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR) supplies, aims to aid the people of Papua New Guinea affected by the volcanic eruption of Ulawun, the nation's most active volcano. The eruption, reported by Al Jazeera, sent smoke soaring up to 15km (9.3 miles) on November 20, marking its first significant eruption in years.

This gesture solidifies India's commitment to standing by Papua New Guinea during times of crisis, echoing similar support provided after the earthquake in 2018 and the volcanic eruption in 2019. Ulawun, having a history of eruptions since the 1700s, experienced its last significant eruption in 2019, leading to the evacuation of over 5,000 people, according to Al Jazeera.