EAM shares snippet of local media coverage on Operation Amistad from quake-hit Venezuela
Caracas, July 3
India's Army Field Hospital in Venezuela working under Operation Amistad has garnered major praise, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared a snippet of local media coverage.
Jaishankar shared the coverage by TeleSUR, reporting on the inauguration of an Indian medical field hospital in Caracas, Venezuela, following a devastating double earthquake.
Michell Ramirez, the Reporter, noted the La Rinconada sector, where the field hospital has just been inaugurated by the Indian government; this is within the framework of Operation Friendship India-Venezuela.
Maitrey Kulkarni, Director of Operation Friendship India-Venezuela, told Ramirez, "This is part of Operation Friendship that we have set up to offer our services to the brothers and sisters of Venezuela. This is a field hospital with 41 doctors of various specialties, especially to provide emergency treatments that usually occur in times of these catastrophes. This is a team that has extensive experience; they set up this same hospital, this type of hospital with the same commander, by the way, in Sri Lanka about 6 months ago when the island was hit by Cyclone Ditwah. Also previously after the earthquake in Myanmar. In both cases, they treated thousands of people who went to those facilities."
Kulkarni said that the hospital has several services like dentistry, traumatology, laboratories, etc.
"We have various services as I mentioned, from dentistry to traumatology; we have laboratories of different types for different tests, and an X-ray room that is, as some of our friends saw, set apart for radiation. That is, all precautions and requirements have been taken so that the care is the best possible, and there are even facilities here to perform small, minor surgeries. As you see here, there are some beds; at the moment we have about 20 beds installed, but it can be expanded up to 50 because of the space we have here," he said.
Ramirez asked Kulkarni about how the installation of this field hospital happened in record time.
"As I say, it is thanks to the experience that this team has in setting up these facilities quickly, but also at the same time I must deeply thank all the support we have received from the government and the authorities of Venezuela. We were here today with Her Excellency, the Vice-Minister of Health, as well as the mayor of this area. As you mentioned, we arrived last night, and from 3 in the morning they began to set all this up, and recently when the Vice-Minister inaugurated this hospital, it was already ready. It is thanks to their experience and the support we have received from the Venezuelan government," he answered.
An estimated 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in last week's earthquakes, which hit magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, respectively. An estimated 13,000 people have been left homeless, as per Al Jazeera.
In its last official update, Venezuela's government said that at least 2,295 people have been confirmed killed, with 11,000 injured. The death toll was expected to rise, with about 50,000 people reported missing, Al Jazeera reported.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wonderful to see India stepping up while many larger nations are focused on other priorities. The death toll is 2,295 with 50,000 missing — those numbers are heartbreaking. For the families in Venezuela, this field hospital must feel like a lifeline. I just hope the government also ensures these efforts are sustained, not just a quick visit for optics. India has the capacity to do more in Latin America. 🇮🇳❤️🇻🇪
Hats off to the team that set this up overnight! Reminds me of our disaster response in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Our armed forces don't just defend borders, they save lives across continents. Operation Friendship indeed — friendship in action, not just words.
Impressive coordination and logistics from the Indian team. Setting up a field hospital with X-ray, labs, and even minor surgery capability in under 24 hours is no small feat. The fact that the same commander led similar missions in Sri Lanka and Myanmar shows India has institutionalized this capacity. But I worry about the sustainability — will India stay long enough, or is this a short-term handover? Venezuela's healthcare system was already fragile before the quakes.
This is a textbook example of 'soft power' done right. Not through military coercion, but by offering medical aid when it's most needed. India's diaspora in Latin America is small, but actions like this build lasting goodwill. Also, props to EAM Jaishankar for sharing the local media coverage — it's important for Venezuelans to see this isn't just some government handout but genuine friendship from India. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.