New Delhi, Jan 2 (Agency) India has extended relief assistance of USD 500,000 to Vanuatu to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the South Pacific Ocean nation on December 17, causing major destruction and loss of life.India also extended its deep condolences to the Government and the people of Vanuatu for the damage and destruction caused by this unprecedented disaster and conveyed its readiness to extend all possible support and assistance in this time of difficulty, a statement said.
India provided the aid 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 Vanuatu.India has firmly stood by Vanuatu during times of difficulty and devastation caused by natural disasters. An important pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2019, is Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. India is committed to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and continues to be a responsible and steadfast responder in the region, the statement added.Vanuatu, a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, consists of a chain of 13 principal and many smaller islands located about 800 km west of Fiji and 1,770 km east of Australia.