India provides 600 tonnes of rice to flood-hit Madagascar

India handed over 600 tonnes of rice to Madagascar on Thursday for victims of the January flood which left 26 dead and 92,000 affected in the east African island nation.

Indian Ambassador Abhay Kumar handed over the consignment of rice to Madagascar Foreign Minister Tehindrazanarivelo Djacoba at a function held at the Port Antsiranana.

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shardul arrived in Madagascar's Port Antsiranana on Tuesday carrying 600 tonnes of rice. This was the Indian government's second delivery of relief materials for the Madagascar flood victims. It was also the biggest relief load ever carried by any Indian warship.

Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that the rice was brought to Madagascar in a warship, the fastest way the relief could be delivered "by us for our brothers and sisters in the Indian ocean".

Djacoba described the Indian assistance as "historic" and thanked Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.