India announces disaster relief aid to Papua New Guinea

New Delhi, May 28

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India has announced an immediate relief assistance of $ 1 million to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Papua New Guinea where a massive landslide occurred on May 24 burying hundreds of people and causing major destruction and loss of life.

Besides extending relief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X expressed deep condolences and conveyed India’s readiness to extend all possible support and assistance to the Pacific island country in its time of difficulty.

The relief is being extended by India as “a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Papua New Guinea,” stated a MEA release.

India had earlier too stood by Papua New Guinea during times of natural disasters such as after the earthquake in 2018 and volcanic eruptions in 2019 and 2023.

Extending disaster relief assistance is an important pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative, announced by PM Modi in November 2019.