Amid several demands and suggestions to bring in the armed forces to not just handle logistics, but to also set-up warlike field hospitals to combat the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 cases across the country, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday wrote a blog post about his ministry’s response, and that of the armed forces, in “fighting the invisible enemy”, calling it a “once in a century crisis”.
“Sensing the emergency situation, the whole Government machinery immediately swung into action by mobilizing all possible resources. Along with the efforts put together by the scientific community, health professionals, civil administration, the Armed Forces too have pitched in this battle against an invisible yet deadly enemy.”
In his post, Singh wrote that the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, and other organisations of the Ministry of Defence like DG AFMS, DRDO, OFB, DPSU, NCC, Cantonments Boards, etc “are engaged to help mitigate the sufferings of the people. Mobilisation of additional health professionals, setting up of new COVID facilities, deployment of IAF transport aircraft and IN Ships to provide logistic support to facilitate the supply of oxygen from friendly foreign countries and within the country and setting up of new oxygen plants are some of the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Defence”.
He recounted the many steps taken in the last few weeks in aiding the effort. Foremost, he said, “I have directed the Armed Forces to extend all possible assistance to the civil administration to tide over the crisis” as “people have great faith and trust in the capabilities of the Armed Forces”.