India provides $5 Lakh aid to earthquake-hit Vanuatu
Loan and Grant
4 min read
The government of India has announced an aid of $ 5 lakh to the quake-hit tiny Pacific Ocean country Vanuatu. The aid will be used to support relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts in the country.
The South Pacific Ocean island nation of Vanuatu was hit by successive earthquakes on 17 December and again on 22 December 2024.
The first earthquake of 7.3 magnitude hit the country on 17 December which led to the death of around 14 persons and injury to over 200 people. The country declared a dawn-to-dusk curfew across the country to cope with the death and devastation caused by the earthquake.
The second earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck the country again on 22 December 2024 causing panic in the country..
The successive earthquakes have caused massive damage to several commercial and residential buildings, embassies and a hospital collapsed as a result of the powerful earthquake.
India Vanuatu Relation
India established diplomatic relations with Vanuatu in 1986 though India does not have an embassy in the country.
Currently the Indian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand looks after the Vanuatu.
Vanuatu is a member of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) which also includes 13 other countries of the region.
The first Indian minister to visit Vanuatu was Piyush Goel in October 2016.
In the past, India has provided financial assistance to Vanuatu to deal with natural disasters.
- India gave $ 2.5 lakh to Vanuatu in March 2015 in the aftermath of the destruction caused by Cyclone Pam.
- In June 2018, India gave a grant of $ 2 lakh as humanitarian assistance for the resettlement in the Ambae islands after the eruption of a volcano.
- According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has given US$ 669,093 to Vanuatu since 2006 for various community development projects until October 2023.
About Vanuatu
Vanuatu is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of 13 main islands and many smaller islands.
It is located about 800 km west of Fiji and 1,770 km east of Australia.
Vanuatu gained independence in 1980.
The main population of the country is ethnic Melanesian.
Capital: Port-Vila
Prime Minister -Charlot Salwai
Currency- Vatu
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