25 July 2020, NIICE Commentary 5639
Arushi Singh
The Indian role in the global politics is being speculated amidst the tiff between the United States and China. In a pandemic like the COVID-19, the importance of effective emergency Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations has come to the foreground. Since the Cold War itself, the HADR operations emerged as the tool for extending support in case of natural hazards to build up influence. These missions were inextricably linked with a country’s strategic lead. India has made considerable contributions to HADR operations over the world. This article looks at the relevance of HADR operations for India in its quest for emerging as a global power.
According to United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee, HADR operations are to be guided by principles and values based on shared humanity, impartiality, urgency, objectivity, in case of no other civilian alternative as last resort, clarity of intention, consent, integration, restraint, non-partisanship and independence thereby forging an outline for governments and organisations participating in humanitarian action as well as conformity with international humanitarian laws.
Along with principles and values, according to Tomonori Yoshizaki, Director of Policy Simulation at the National Institute of Defense Studies of Japan, military’s involvement in international peace operations missions includes synthesising of locally accumulated data for assessment of the situation; provision preparation for operations in the region affected by the disaster; critical infrastructure development; utilisation of trained reserve personnel; in the facilitation of distribution of equipment, transportation, technology, and infrastructure support; functioning as a well-organized decision-making apparatus; and providing a consistent response for the people affected as part of the responsibility of the uniformed personnel of a civic authority.
Developing countries are particularly vulnerable and they benefit from joint HADR operations. Natural hazards, disasters, crisis conditions and modern-day struggles require military forces to acquire abilities, training, funding, and equipment to be able to successfully conduct disaster relief and preparedness operations. In the current context, the pandemic has led to armed forces being deployed to conduct humanitarian and disaster relief missions such as enforcing lockdown to flatten the curve in Italy and Ecuador, Turkish armed forces working to administer effective physical distancing measures, South Korean armed forces working on disinfecting public spaces, Chinese armed forces working on the development of a vaccine, distribution of medical supplies being conducted by the United Kingdom’s armed forces as well as bolstering security at the borders for instance in Poland.
India has been active in launching various HADR operations and has been instrumental in providing aid in the India Ocean Region. India conducted HADR operations exercises such as the Tiger Triumph, which was a tri-services United States-India Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Amphibious exercise with the US since November 2019. It represented the growing strategic partnership between the two countries. This also demonstrated the ease of cooperation and potential for future collaborations between the two countries in HADR missions.
Indian role in the US at the time of the Hurricane Katrina was seen in airlift operations for relief resources to Port Louis in 2005. India provided aid to Myanmar during cyclone Sidr, delivering vital emergency food supplies including rice which is the staple diet of the country. Within hours of the earthquake which racked Nepal, India used its Air Force to fly in the National Disaster Response Force rescue team. Cyclone More of 2017 saw India take the mantle of the first respondent in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. India has likewise provided relief and aid to Pakistan overlooking the intense rivalry which has defined the relationship between the two countries since Independence. India launched simultaneous operations in Maldives with Operation Castor, in Sri Lanka with Operation Rainbow and Operation Gambhir in Indonesia.
However, humanitarian assistance in the Indian context is narrower than its western counterparts. Indian characterisation of HADR has been sculptured by the unique cultural experiences and values like the non-aligned nature of foreign policy first formulated by Jawaharlal Nehru during the 1960s which emphasised the need for greater regional cooperation. HADR missions as explained by the Indian government highlight the intention to alleviate human misery which occur due to natural hazards like earthquakes, floods.
Unlike the western definition, it does not include military involvement in helping the civilian populaces affected by armed conflicts. India rendered assistance to countries such as Sri Lanka in 1987-1990, the Maldives in 1988 and has been training as well as supplying equipment for armed forces in Afghanistan since 2004. All of them were the result of the Indian national security considerations. Moreover, it was also a reflection and influence of the neo-liberal policies that India adopted post-1991 reforms which led to interests such as the regional stability and harmony taking precedence over non-alignment era postulates.
The Indian armed forces helped in evacuating citizens of various countries in its region including Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in 2015 when hostilities broke out in Yemen. India also conducted similar evacuations from Lebanon in 2006 and Libya in 2011. Moreover, Indian navy and the coast guards have frequently taken part in HADR undertakings in South Asia, South-east Asia and South China Sea. India’s future for the Indian Ocean is summarised by the concept of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). SAGAR has various elements which are both diverse and inter-related. Indian naval vessels are mandated to carry humanitarian and disaster relief kits. India also expanded ‘Mission Based Deployments’ since august 2017 which put down the duties of Indian ships to include anti-piracy tours and offering humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of External Affairs, the state carrier Air India with the armed forces different branches including the Navy and Air Force have likewise been playing a major role in HADR missions in West Asia and Indian Ocean Region. For instance, due to cyclone Diane in 2020, the President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina requested aid. Operation Vanilla was then launched by the Indian Navy with the deployment of a vessel to Antsiranana. In addition, there was collaboration and consultation with the local authorities to better understand the situation with Indian medical and disaster relief supplying teams being arrayed and for transportation of important vital supplies by Indian forces.
India continues to focus on reconstruction efforts in countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka. These efforts can also lead to leverage power through goodwill generated. This was seen in the case of Afghanistan where India helped construct critical infrastructures such as hospitals and dams. To shoulder increasing responsibilities such as these, India needs to invest in capacity building with specialised branches like incorporating a rescue corps which may emerge as the first line of defence. HADR operations merge the security and development requirements and hence India is likely to develop that route to appear as a powerful yet benevolent actor.
