Amid the grim COVID-19 situation in the country, four cryogenic tanks, to be used for the transportation of oxygen, are being airlifted from Singapore today.
A Home Ministry official said the four empty tanks are being brought to India by a heavy lift transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
A C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force took off from the Hindon airbase in the outskirts of Delhi for Singapore’s Changi airport early on Saturday morning, the official told news agency Press Trust of India.
From Panagarh the tanks will be routed by road to several steel plants in adjoining Chhatisgarh and Orissa for filling oxygen for further supplies to several states.
An IAF C-17 can carry some 74 tonnes of load. Notably, the Singapore Air Force uses American platforms and automated loading machines including fork-lifts match the size and height of C-17 loading ramp.
The US, the UK and Japan also use the C-17 and Singapore is turn around base for several of the Non-Asian countries hence is well equipped to handle emergencies.
In the area of defence, India and Singapore have a ‘comprehensive partnership’, which includes, Annual Ministerial and Secretary level dialogues.