As India and the world rush aid to Myanmar, US efforts seem faltering

India on Saturday delivered 15 tonnes of relief materials to Myanmar under its 'Operation Brahma', launched after a devastating earthquake hit the neighbouring country as well as Thailand on Friday, killing over 1,000 in Myanmar so far, with bodies still being pulled out of rubble.

India sent the relief materials to the Myanmarese capital of Yangon (Rangoon) in an Indian Air Force C130J military transport aircraft. The supplies included tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets and essential medicines, officials said.

Two more IAF aircraft are being loaded with relief material for Myanmar and the planes will depart from Hindon Air Force Station soon, they said.

"#OperationBrahma gets underway. First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar," external affairs minister S. Jaishankar posted on X. The relief materials were handed over to Yangon chief minister U Soe Thein by Indian envoy to Myanmar Abhay Thakur.

Several other nations have also rushed aid to the earthquake victims, but the US seems to be faltering in this regard. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his country would assist in responding to the earthquake, but the effectiveness of that response may be hindered by deep budget cuts to foreign aid programmes under the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department, raising concerns about the government's ability to provide timely disaster relief in the first major natural disaster of Trump’s second term.

Sarah Charles, a former senior USAID official who managed disaster-response teams and humanitarian efforts under the Biden administration, described the current state of the system as being in "shambles", and pointed to a lack of personnel and resources that could slow efforts to rescue survivors from collapsed buildings and deliver critical aid.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump acknowledged the disaster, stating, "We’re going to be helping. We’ve already alerted the people. Yeah, it’s terrible what happened."

At the State Department, spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasised that the administration would determine its response based on regional requests and reports from affected areas.

“USAID has maintained a team of disaster experts with the capacity to respond if disaster strikes,” Bruce said. “These expert teams provide immediate assistance, including food and safe drinking water, needed to save lives in the aftermath of a disaster.” Despite significant funding cuts, Bruce insisted that “there has been no impact on our ability to perform those duties”.

Yet, on the same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside Jeremy Lewin — a former associate of Elon Musk now serving in a senior USAID role — announced to staff and Congress that most remaining USAID employees would be dismissed, with the agency’s remaining programmes being transferred under the State Department.

Since taking office on 20 January, the Trump administration, working closely with Musk’s teams, has dramatically reduced foreign aid. Widespread staff dismissals, forced leaves, and abrupt contract terminations have disrupted global aid and development initiatives, leaving international partners scrambling to compensate for USAID’s sudden withdrawal and billions of dollars in unpaid commitments.

As per an Associated Press report, following a 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, USAID-supported civilian teams from Los Angeles County and Fairfax County, Virginia — trained in urban search and rescue — were swiftly deployed to aid survivors. These teams are typically mobilised within 24 hours, Charles noted.

While interventions from lawmakers and other officials preserved the contracts for these specialised search-and-rescue teams, crucial contracts for transporting them — along with their dogs and heavy equipment — were reportedly cut, Charles said.

Additionally, staffing reductions at USAID have “decimated” coordination efforts with international allies, complicating rescue and relief operations on the ground, Charles warned.

Further cuts to foreign aid contracts have also affected emergency disaster-response services operated by the United Nations and other relief organisations, limiting the global capacity to respond effectively to crises like the Southeast Asian earthquake.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern over the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and said India stands ready to offer all possible assistance to the two nations.

"Concerned by the situation in the wake of the Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone," Modi posted on X. "India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, asked our authorities to be on standby. Also asked the MEA to remain in touch with the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand."

With agency inputs