What is the news: The Indian Navy recently launched Operation Samudra Setu II. The operation will aid in fulfilling oxygen requirements of the country.

ABOUT THE OPERATION

• Under the operation, warships have been deployed to carry liquid oxygen filled cryogenic containers.
• Two ships INS Talwar and INS Kolkata have been diverted for this operation.
• INS Talwar will transport 40 million tonnes of oxygen from Manama to Mumbai.
• INS Kolkata is to proceed to Doha to get medical supplies and then to Kuwait to get liquid oxygen tanks.
• INS Airavat is to enter Singapore to embark liquid oxygen tanks.
• INS Jalashwa will also be diverted to the mission.
• The other ships deployed in Trikand, Kochi and Tabar will also be diverted to join the national effort.
• The INS Shardul from the Southern Naval Command has been readied to join the operation.
• This operation will augment the Oxygen Express mission that is already operating under Indian Railways.
• These seven ships that are currently deployed in Operation Samudra Setu II are said to be combat ready.

PREVIOUS SAMUDRA SETU: Operation Samudra Setu I was launched in May 2020. It was launched to repatriate Indian citizens from abroad during COVID-19. It successfully brought back 3,992 Indians to home safely.

Note: Similar Evacuation programmes were undertaken by the Indian Navy in 2006 and 2015. In 2016, Operation Sukoon was launched to bring back Indians from Beirut. In 2015, Operation Rahat was launched to bring back Indians from Yemen.