Devendra Kulkarni
New Member
Far away in the South China Sea, the Philippines was ravaged by a typhoon Haiyan and it was time for India to showcase its “look-east policy”. On November 12, the Indian Air Force was tasked to fly out a special operations plane, the C-130-J Hercules, to Manila carrying relief material-tents, blankets and medicines etc.
The material was picked from the Army’s long-term stocks in New Delhi. Notably, China which has overlapping disputes with the Philippines in the hydrocarbon-rich South China Sea, is under criticism for offering a rather meagre $1,00,000 in cash as aid. South Block in New Delhi estimates that the IAF planes landing in Manila will have a more everlasting impact. The US and Japan have pledged millions of dollars in aid, while the UK has sent its warships carrying aid.
The material was picked from the Army’s long-term stocks in New Delhi. Notably, China which has overlapping disputes with the Philippines in the hydrocarbon-rich South China Sea, is under criticism for offering a rather meagre $1,00,000 in cash as aid. South Block in New Delhi estimates that the IAF planes landing in Manila will have a more everlasting impact. The US and Japan have pledged millions of dollars in aid, while the UK has sent its warships carrying aid.
