In a swift response to the national crisis faced by the Maldives, following the shutting down the desalination plants in a fire incident in capital in Malé, the Indian Government pressed into service as much as five Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft and one naval vessel carrying a large consignment of potable water to meet the immediate requirement of the people in Malé.

Out of five aircraft, the first aircraft to reach Malé was an IL-76 carrying 22 tonnes of potable water, one C-17 Globemaster III carrying 28 tonnes has also reached Male and another C-17 Globemaster III carrying 50 tonnes also reached Malé. Two more IL-76 transport aircraft of IAF left New Delhi on December 5.

The Indian Navy dispatched INS Sukanya to Malé. INS Sukanya carried 35 tonnes of freshwater and has two reverse osmosis (RO) plants onboard which have a capacity of producing 20 tonnes of freshwater perday. INS Sukanya, an offshore patrol vessel, was on a routine patrol off Kochi. She was diverted to reach Malé at the earliest to render necessary assistance and all the possible help to Maldivian authorities.

Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, has no natural water source and consumes only treated sea water.