List of Military Search & Rescue Operations

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Rescue Operations of Indian Armed Forces

In this post, we'll look at some of the key search and rescue operations carried out by the Indian Armed Forces on a global scale.

While the rest of the world has abandoned its people or postponed its evacuation process (like China) in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, India has been rushing against the clock to evacuate all impacted, regardless of faith. 

India launched Operation Ganga to rescue Indian and Nepalese people in war-torn Ukraine. 

However, this is not India's first time rescuing people from war zones or lending a helping hand to people in natural disasters. India had left no stone unturned in its previous rescue efforts in order to safeguard and redeem its people.

Search & Rescue Operations of Indian Armed Forces

Given below are some of the important humanitarian Search & Rescue Operations performed by the Indian Armed Forces to evacuate Indian and foreign nationals stranded in dire situations on a global scale.

International level Search & Rescue Operations

1. Operation Ganga (2022) 

  • Location – Ukraine.
  • Ongoing emergency evacuation operation of Indian residents from Ukraine during the Russian invasion. 
  • More than 18,000 Indians have been safely evacuated back so far using 76 special flights were sent to Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova.

2. Operation Devi Shakti (2021) 

  • Location – Afghanistan.
  • Duration – August 16 – 21.
  • Executed by – Indian Armed Forces.
  • Aim – To help fleeing Indian and foreign nationals especially Hindus and Sikhs from Afghanistan, when Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban.

3. Vande Bharat Mission (2020)

  •  Largest evacuation ops carried out by India.
    • evacuated approx. 1.8 million Indians from different countries around the globe in 15 phases.
  • Duration – May 7, 2020, to October 31, 2021.
  • Aim – to evacuate Indian nationals stranded abroad due to COVID-19 and the resultant lockdowns.

4. Operation Samudra Setu (2020)

  • Duration – May 5 – July 1 (over 55 days).
  • Executed by – Indian Navy using INS Airavat, Jalashwa, Shardul & Magar.
  • Aim –  to repatriate 3,992 Indian citizens from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Operation Vanilla (2020)

  • Location – Madagascar.
  • Duration – January 28 to February 1.
  • Executed by – Indian Navy using INS Airavat.
  • Aim – to provide assistance to the affected population of Madagascar post devastation caused by Cyclone Diane.

6. Operation Nistar (2018) 

  • Location – Yemen.
  • Duration – 3-7 June.
  • Executed by – Indian Navy using INS Sunayna 
  • Aim – to evacuate 38 Indian nationals from Yemen Island of Socotra who was stranded by Cyclone Mekenu.

7. Operation Insaniyat (2017) 

  • Location – Bangladesh.
  • Duration – September 14.
  • Executed by – Indian Air Force.
  • Aim – to supply relief packages to migrant Rohingya Muslims.

8. Operation Maitri / Operation Amity (2015)

  • Location – Nepal.
  • Duration – 25-28 April.
  • Executed by – Indian Armed Forces & National Disaster Response Force.
  • Aim – Rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake and in the Mount Everest avalanche triggered by the earthquake. 

9. Operation Sankat Mochan (2015)

  • Location – Nepal.
  • Duration – 26-28 April.
  • Executed by – Indian Armed Forces & Nepal Army.
  • Aim – Rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake and in the Mount Everest avalanche triggered by the earthquake. 

10. Operation Raahat (2015)

  • Location – Yemen.
  • Duration – 6-7 April.
  • Executed by – Air India & Indian Navy using INS Mumbai & INS Tarkash.
  • Aim – to evacuate 4,640 Indian citizens and 960 foreign nationals of 41 countries from Yemen during the 2015 military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in that country during the Yemeni Crisis.

11. Operation Searchlight (2014) 

  • Location – Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. 
  • Duration – March 13.
  • Executed by – Indian Air Forces & Indian Navy.
  • Aim – to find the missing Boeing 777 M.H 17 Malaysian Flight with 239 passengers.

12. Operation Safe Homecoming (2011)

  • Location – Libya.
  • Duration – February 26 – March 11.
  • Executed by – Air India & Indian Navy using INS Jalashwa.
  • Aim – to evacuate 15000 Indian nationals from the conflict zone during the Libyan Civil War to oust the country’s then-dictator Muammar Gaddafi. 

13. Operation Sukoon (2006) 

  • Location – Beirut.
  • Duration – July.
  • Executed by – Indian Navy using INS Mumbai, INS Betwa, INS Brahmputra & INS Shakti. 
  • Aim – to evacuate 2,280 people, including 1,764 Indians, 112 Sri Lankans, 64 Nepalese, and 7 Lebanese nationals with Indian spouses, from the conflict zone during the 2006 Lebanon War.

14. Operation Rainbow (2004) 

  • Location – Sri Lanka.
  • Duration –  December 26, 2004.
  • Executed by – Indian Air Force & Indian Navy using INS Sandhayak & Dornier aircraft.
    • INS Sandhayak which participated in operation Pawan in Sri Lanka (1987), the maiden Indo-US HADR Exercise Tiger-Triumph (2019) and conducted approx. 200 major hydrographic surveys was decommissioned in 2021 after 40 years.
  • Aim –  search and rescue operations to find fishermen and boats lost at sea in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

15. Operation Castor (2004) 

  • Location – Maldives.
  • Duration –  December 26, 2004.
  • Executed by – Indian Air Force & Indian Navy using INS Mysore, INS Udayagirir, & INS Aditya.
  • Aim –  disaster relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

16. Operation Gambhir (2004) 

  • Location – Indonesia.
  • Duration –  December 26, 2004.
  • Executed by – Indian Navy using INS Khukri and INS Nirupak.
  • Aim –   disaster relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

17. Airlift (1990) 

  • Location – Kuwait.
  • Duration – August 13 – October 20, 1990.
  • Executed by – Indian Air Force, Air India &Indian Airlines.
  • Aim – To evacuate 170,000 people by the civil airlines during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait before the Persian Gulf War.
  • The second-largest rescue operation undertaken by the Indian government.
  • Holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people evacuated by a civil airliner.
    • Air India operated around 500 flights over the period of two months.
  • Film Airlift (2016) starring Akshay Kumar is based on this event.

 National level Rescue Operations

Below is the list of all the important humanitarian search and rescue operations done by the Indian armed forces at different parts of the country at the time when various natural disasters struck our country.
  • Operation Good Samaritan (1995)
    • Location – Manipur/Nagaland.
    • Duration –  Ongoing.
    • Executed by – Indian Armed Forces.
    • Aim – Humanitarian assistance.

  • Operation Sea Waves (2004)
    • Location – Andaman Nicobar Islands.
    • Duration –  December 26, 2004.
    • Executed by – Indian Armed Forces.
    • Aim –  disaster relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami particularly in Andaman Nicobar Islands.

  • Operation Madad (2004)
    • Location – Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh.
    • Duration – December 26, 2004.
    • Executed by – Indian Navy.
    • Aim – Search & rescue operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

  • Operation Ganga Prahar (2013)
    • Location – Uttarakhand.
    • Duration –  June 2013.
    • Executed by –  Indian Army.
    • Aim – Rescue operation during  North India floods.

  • Operation Surya Hope (2013)
    • Location – Uttarakhand.
    • Duration –  June 2013.
    • Executed by –  Indian Army.
    • Continuation of Operation Ganga Prahar.
    • Aim – Humanitarian assistance in times of North India floods and rescuing 100,000 pilgrims and tourists in Himalayan religious sites.
    • Along with the Indian Air Force (Operation Rahat), Border Road Organization, National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other para military forces under the Ministry of Home.

  • Operation Rahat (2013)
    • Location – Uttarakhand.
    • Duration –  June 2013.
    • Executed by –  Indian Navy
    • Aim – disaster relief operation in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand floods.
    • Along with the Indian Army, Border Road Organization, National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other para military forces under the Ministry of Home.

  • Mission Sahayata & Operation Megh Rahat (2014)
  • Operation Madad (2018)
    • Location – Kerala.
    • Duration – August 2018.
    • Executed by – Indian Navy.
    • Aim – Search & rescue operations during Kerala Floods.

  • Operation Sahyog (2018)
    • Location – Kerala.
    • Duration – August 2018.
    • Executed by – Indian Army.
    • Aim – Search & rescue operations during Kerala Floods.

  • Operation Calm Down (2016) in Jammu and Kashmir
  • Operation Randori Behak (2020) in Jammu and Kashmir

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