Sailors from the Indian Navy ship, INS Talwar, in the process of loading a liquid oxygen tank onto their ship at Salman Port, Manama, Bahrain.

New Delhi, April 30

Among several initiatives to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 surge, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, invoked special provisions and granted emergency financial powers to the armed forces while Indian Navy warships have sailed across to three countries to bring several tonnes of oxygen.

The Ministry of Defence said the financial powers would help formation commanders establish and operate quarantine facilities and hospitals, and undertake procurement and repair of equipment, items, material and stores. These powers, in addition to the emergency powers delegated to medical officers of the armed forces last week, have been devolved initially for a period of three months.

Crucially, the Indian Navy has launched Op Samudra Setu-II for shipment of oxygen-filled containers to India. Two warships— INS Kolkata and INS Talwar — entered the port of Manama, Bahrain, on Friday. These will be transporting 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Mumbai. INS Jalashwa is sailing to Bangkok while INS Airavat is enroute to Singapore for similar missions. The DRDO has handed over 75 cylinders to the Delhi Government and another 40 will be given to the ITBP-run Covid care centre in the city. Each of these oxygen cylinders has a capacity of 10,000 litres. — TNS