ANTANANARIVO: Phone call between External Affairs Minister and Foreign Minister of Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO: In
response to the urgent appeal made by the Government of Madagascar for
international solidarity and assistance to deal with the humanitarian crisis in
South of Madagascar due to severe drought, the Government of India is sending a
consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of rice and 100,000 tablets of HCQ to
Madagascar. The humanitarian assistance is being delivered on-board Indian
Naval Ship Jalashwa, which will leave with the food and medical assistance on
March 3 and is expected to reach the Port of Ehoala in Madagascar between 21-24
March 2021.

The prompt Indian assistance to the Government of Madagascar was conveyed today
by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in a phone conversation with the
Foreign Minister of Madagascar, His Excellency, Dr. Tehindrazanarivelo Djacoba
A.S Oliva. During the phone conversation, EAM recalled the excellent bilateral
ties of friendship between India and Madagascar and that India has always been
among the first responders when it comes to assist the people of Madagascar in
such humanitarian crisis. In September 2018, a consignment of 1000 metric
tonnes of rice was delivered on-board an Indian Naval vessel to Madagascar.
Indian Navy was the first to respond when Cyclone Diane struck Madagascar and
prompt assistance was delivered under Operation Vanilla by INS Airavat in
January 2020. In March 2020, INS Shardul visited the port of Antisiranana and
delivered 600 tonnes of rice as HADR assistance to Madagascar from India for
dealing with heavy floods in the Northern region of Madagascar.

EAM assured the Foreign Minister of Madagascar that as a maritime neighbour
across the Indian Ocean, the Government and people of Madagascar can always
count on the support and solidarity of the Government and people of India. The
two Foreign Ministers also discussed other issues of mutual interest.

During this trip, INS Jalashwa will also have on-board an Indian Naval training
team which is being deployed in Madagascar for capacity building and training
of the Malagasy Special Forces for two weeks.

INS Jalashwa will also call at Port Anjoun in the Republic of Comoros where it
will deliver a consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of Indian rice. The supply of
this food assistance as announced by the Vice President of India during his
visit to Comoros in October 2019.

The supplies of food assistance and support for capacity building to the
friendly countries of Madagascar and Comoros is in line with Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of SAGAR and India’s time-tested role as a net
security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.