Aid diplomacy

As cases of coronavirus increase in countries across South Asia and some of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries, both India and China are pressing ahead with medical supplies, including medicines and protective gear, as well as offers of medical teams to be stationed there.
With nearly 6,00,000 cases now, the eight SAARC countries account for about 7.5% of the world total of 7.9 million COVID-19 cases, and about 3% of global coronavirus deaths.
According to its Health Silk Road initiative, China has sent 29 medical expert teams to 27 countries.

India has intensified its offers in the SAARC region (minus Pakistan) and the IOR, deploying aid by Air India flights as well as by the Indian Naval Ship ‘Kesari’ and sending teams as well.
India has thus far sent medical teams to the Maldives, Mauritius, Comoros, and Kuwait.
The deployment to the Comoros and Mauritius, part of “Mission Sagar”, was particularly considered historic as it unveiled new Indian capabilities in parts of the IOR that other countries had not developed.
For the past months, two 14-member Indian Navy medical teams have been stationed in Mauritius and Comoros, where they toured local hospitals, trained personnel and assisted in COVID-19 management techniques.

Amidst its own tensions with India and the month-long standoff between India and China at the Line of Actual Control, Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Oli has decided not to accept medical teams from either India or China.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 with 7 founding members.
SAARC now comprises eight Member States: Afghanistan (joined in 2007), Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
There are nine observer countries namely Australia, China, European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and the United States.
The Secretariat of the Association is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.

`Mission Sagar’ is Government of India’s initiative to assist island nations in Indian Ocean amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mission is being coordinated by the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence.
The deployment is in consonance with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) promulgated in March 2015.
SAGAR highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her neighbouring countries and further strengthens the existing bond.

Reference:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/aid-offers-from-india-china-galore/article31828030.ece

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