India deploys elite NDRF rescue teams to Myanmar’s quake-hit Mandalay

In the wake of the catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, India has escalated its humanitarian response under ‘Operation Brahma’ by deploying specialized rescue teams and essential relief aid.

A dedicated Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team comprising 80 highly trained personnel from the 8th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Ghaziabad, along with four specially trained canines, was swiftly airlifted via two sorties of the Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft. The team landed in Nay Pyi Taw on March 29, 2025, before being redeployed to Mandalay City, where widespread structural collapses have been reported.

Currently, the NDRF team, in collaboration with Myanmar's Fire Services, is engaged in intensive search and rescue (SAR) operations in Mandalay, focusing on sites with confirmed reports of missing individuals trapped under debris. As of April 1, 2025, 16 bodies have been recovered, while rescue efforts continue amid challenging conditions.