Operation Dost: India’s Disaster Relief Diplomacy

In News

• Recently, under Operation Dost, India dispatched Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft with relief material to Turkey as part of its Humanitarian And Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts to assist earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria.

About India’s Disaster Relief Diplomacy 

• India deploys its humanitarian aid mainly through bilateral and, gradually, multilateral channels. 
• India’s humanitarian assistance is listed as one of the forms of development support that the country extends to its partner countries across the world.
  • This assistance has included support in response to natural disasters, during long-term complex emergencies, and support provided in post-conflict, post-disaster, and pandemic situations. 
  • India developed a ‘SAARC COVID-19 Information Exchange Platform (COINEX)’ platform for use by all SAARC countries to facilitate exchange of specialized information and tools on COVID-19 among designated health professionals.
• With the onset of time, India’s practice of disaster diplomacy has come to form a primary facet of its Neighbourhood First policy. 

Determinants 

• The ethos of India’s humanitarian assistance can be traced to its cultural and spiritual values. 
  • All the major religions – Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam – espouse solidarity with the suffering.
• The government acknowledges the importance of the UN’s four fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
• India is also a signatory to all four Geneva Conventions and participated in the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. 
• The South-South Cooperation(SSC)’s foreign policy principle also informs and prompts India’s humanitarian actions, with India often seeking to respond in accordance with the expressed needs of recipient country governments.

Importance 

• Disaster assistance becomes an instrument for maintaining and fostering friendly relations with other countries.
•  It is a way to earn the goodwill of foreign governments and the local people by promoting a positive image of the helping nation
  • Given its quest for becoming a regional power and securing a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, India is increasingly eager to portray itself as a provider of development assistance.
• Disaster Diplomacy is filled with possibilities for the future and India has the potential to become the region’s Good Samaritan – a power that the extended neighbourhood looks to for help.

Challenges and Constraints

• India has performed well in terms of assistance, but the timing of these relief efforts remains a grey area. 
• Often relief efforts reach affected people long after disasters strike leading to the destruction of life and property.
• Sometimes  India failed to project itself as an aid giver in the global media.
• It has been observed that the Indian armed forces face challenges related to preparedness for disaster response and recovery.

Conclusion and Way Forward 

• It is important that special budgetary allocations be made for disaster management-related expenditures.
• Apart from this, emerging forums like the Quad should be utilised for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
  • This will also bolster India’s image as a growing power, with the capability in administering operations outside its borders

• There is a need to increase in capacity – stockpile reserves, trained personnel, and procedures – along with a coordinated effort with other countries and the United Nations to fulfill the tenets of Vasudhaiva Kudumbkam

Source:IE