Floods have ravaged the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand and many more. From unusual rain patterns, upstream dam releases, to sheer heavy monsoon ~ the flooding and the accompanying devastation have been back-breaking for so many citizens. With politicians blaming each other, institutions responsible for safeguarding and rehabilitation failing in their duties, and the usual bureaucratic apathy, there is only one institution that has silently been aiding the relief and protection missions successfully ~ the Indian Armed Forces.

Images of daredevil Indian Army soldiers wading through neck-deep waters, to that of helicopters involved in daring rescue and lift missions have emerged yet again. As an example, the Indian Army’s Western Command launched massive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions, executing 82 relief missions, evacuating over 6,000 people dangerously caught in flooded areas and delivering essential supplies to the affected communities. Just under this Command’s operations, another 13,000 people are believed to have received emergency medical assistance and facilitation (including air dropping) of nearly 50 tons of rations.

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The Army Command’s Engineer detachment worked against odds to repair damaged infrastructure (including restoring critical bridge links), strengthened flood defenses, and laid optical fiber cables to reinstate mobile connectivity. Just another crisis facing the nation and yet another show of resilience, courage and commitment by India’s “sword arm” ~ not just to defend the territorial integrity and dignity of the sovereign, but even to defend its citizens within, when all other ostensible institutions of managing internal affairs (including relief and rehabilitation works, planning and administration) have melted into the oblivion.

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