India to send 12th batch of humanitarian aid to Ukraine as it marks 6 months of conflict

India on Wednesday announced that it is ready to dispatch its 12th consignment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine consisting 26 types of medicines on the special request of the Ukrainian government.

Addressing a United Nations Security Council briefing, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said that the humanitarian aid includes ‘hemostatic bandages’ which help stem the bleeding of deep wounds in children and adults. 

This comes after the Ukrainian authorities requested assistance from the government of India to tackle the looming crisis in the country as it marks 6 months of conflict.

“We have delivered for the world in terms of vaccines. We did it earlier for medicines. So, I would like to assure this council that India will step forward whenever the global south is constrained on aspects of food, health, and energy security,” Kamboj said.

The envoy also said that India has been approached for the supply of wheat and sugar by many countries and we are responding positively.

“In the last 3 months alone, India has exported more than 1.8 million tonnes of wheat to countries in need, including to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan, and Yemen, Ruchira Kamboj said as she condemned the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The ambassador said that India’s approach will be to promote dialogue and diplomacy with an aim to end the conflict and mitigate the economic challenges emerging from the ongoing war.

India encourages talks between Ukraine and Russia

Kamboj also noted that the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not just limited to Europe but has been exacerbating concerns over food, fertilizers, and fuel security in the developing nations as well.

She also stated that India encourages talks between Ukraine and Russia and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself, more than once, spoken to them in this regard.

The UNSC meeting was requested by the Western member states of the UN Security Council on the situation in Ukraine. On July 22, Russia and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Initiative that was introduced by the United Nations to tackle the global food insecurity crisis that resulted in a lack of food and skyrocketing prices.

Nearly 1,000 boys and girls have been killed or injured by violence in the war in Ukraine, the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said adding that the actual number could be much higher. An average of over five children are killed or injured each day, he informed. 

Meanwhile, the people of Ukraine have been exposed to deeply distressing events. Those fleeing violence are at significant risk of family separation, abuse, sexual exploitation, and further attacks. Multiple UN agencies say that families have been separated and lives are torn apart.

(With inputs from agency)