With the numbers of COVID-19 positive cases going up, the Indian Armed Forces continue their relief missions, and countries across the world continue sending aid to India to help in the fight against the pandemic.

Update on IAF airlift missions

On Saturday, an Indian Air Force (IAF) IL-76 airlifted 2 Cryogenic Oxygen Containers from Jakarta, Indonesia and landed at Vizag.

2 Oxygen Generators from Bordeaux, France to Hindan Air base are arriving on board an IAF C17. Zeolite (Respiratory Oxygen raw material) is coming from Frankfurt to Mumbai, on another C17.

Missions in India

IAF’s C-17s have airlifted 2 cryogenic oxygen containers from Hindan to Bhubaneswar. And also 4 from Hyderabad to Bhubaneswar.

Criss-crossing across the country

C-17s of IAF are airlifting 8 cryogenic oxygen containers from Nagpur and Pune to Bhubaneswar and Jamnagar, 4 from Chandigarh to Ranchi, 5 from Agra and Lucknow to Jamnagar, 5 from Gwalior to Ranchi and 6 from Vijayawada to Bhubaneswar, and Ranchi.

International Flight

After flying for continuous 12:30 hrs a C17 Globemaster which took off from Hindan, has landed at Frankfurt airport Germany. After a quick turnaround the aircraft will be leaving for Mumbai later in the day carrying a load of 35 tonnes of medical equipment from there. It will be a non-stop flight and is expected to clock nine and a half hours.

Medical Aid arrives from Japan & Canada

In an official statement, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi has announced the arrival of oxygen concentrators as a part of the first batch of the emergency assistance from that country. It adds, “This is in response to the present surge of COVID-19 infections in India.”

Aid from Canada

The Canadian CC-150 Polaris aircraft is carrying 25,000 vials of the antiviral remdesivir (brand name Veklury). Deployed by Canadian Armed Forces, the military aircraft has on board 50 ventilators also.

Later in the coming week more medical supplies are expected to arrive on board another military aircraft from Canada.

In an official statement, Nadir Patel, High Commissioner for Canada to India, said “We are working closely with our Indian partners to facilitate the delivery of essential medical supplies from Canada.”

Assuring that Canada will work continuously to assist India, the envoy said, “The supplies that have arrived are in addition to the $10 million that Canada is providing to the Indian Red Cross for the urgently needed medical equipment to support heroic local lifesaving efforts.”

Meanwhile …

Under the ‘Tour of Duty’ scheme, around 400 ex-AMC/SSC medical officers, who were released between 2017 and 2021, are soon going to be recruited on a contractual basis for a maximum period of 11 month.

The Order for this has been issued on May 8, 2021.

What does the Order state?

According to a Ministry of Defence statement issued on Saturday (May 9, 2021), there will be a fixed monthly amount which will be admissible by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement and a specialist pay wherever applicable.

As per the order, the amount paid is going to remain unchanged for the term of the contract and no other allowances would be paid. Those recruited have to be fit as per the civil standards.