Posted on 12/29/2004 12:52:53 AM PST by Piefloater
INDIA has turned down foreign aid for victims of the tsunami that has killed tens of thousands of people across Asians, because it has "adequate resources", a government official said today.
India had been flooded with generous offers of aid, the official said.
"In fact, all friendly nations have offered help, but we feel we do have the resources to handle the situation," he said.
"If at a later stage we feel we need assistance we will not hesitate to ask.
"Right now we not only have adequate resources but have gone out and mounted a huge relief effort for Sri Lanka and Maldives. We could not have done this if we were facing a problem in Indian relief operations."
The Indian Government said it had sent warships, helicopters and aircraft to distribute food, medicines and blankets to neighbouring Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and had promised more than over $US23 million ($30m) in monetary aid.
The official noted that India had not taken up the offers of help because Sunday's disaster was not of the same magnitude for India as an earthquake that struck the western state of Gujarat in January 2001, killing 20,000 people.
"This disaster is just not of the same scale or magnitude of the Gujarat earthquake," he said.
"In comparison to the Gujarat earthquake we have the resources to handle the situation at this juncture."
India's government and UN and local aid agencies have begun distributing survival packs to at least 160,000 people left homeless along the mainland coast, with demand expected to grow for food, water and shelter.
THEM: India 'doesn't need' foreign aid
ME: *Faint*
-------"....earthquake that struck the western state of Gujarat in January 2001, killing 20,000 people." "This disaster is just not of the same scale or magnitude of the Gujarat earthquake," he said.
Cutting out the middle man! How will the UN skimmers survive?
India is currently where China wants to be...
If they didnt keep electing socialist and communist coalition governments, they would make a good ally....
Well maybe the UN folks can hold off on the stingy comments now.
I'm not buying this
You've seen the pictures of that area and all the ruins and dead lining the streets
I ain't buying this a bit
(DARK, SARDONIC HUMOR ALERT!!!)
That's because they cremate the dead.
I'm in India right now. Delhi to be exact. Every state in India has donated approx. $1 to 10 million. The very, very rich Indian corporatins have donated about the same. All government employees have donated a days worth of pay. The President, VP, and Prime Minister have donated their yearly salary. India does not need the money...trust me on that.
Check out my post above (#10).
Of course they don't need any help. They've got half the technology jobs we used to have.
I spoke to my business associate in Bangalore, their company is pouring in as much as they can, and still remain in business.
No comment. Other than, have you ever worked with someone twice as smart as you are? BTW, I'm a WASP, and I have worked with Indians on dozens of very large IT projects... Seagrams, IBM, Glaxo Smith-Kline Beecham, Mercke, Calvin Klein, D&T, KPMG, PWC.
Those jobs never belonged to you.
Incapable of competing,are you?
"If they didnt keep electing socialist and communist coalition governments, they would make a good ally...."
Firstly let me introduce myself..... I am an Indian.
India has very rarely elected the "socialist and communist" to the government. Only for brief periods in India's history they played second fiddle in a multi-party coalition government. The West-Bengal state which elects the communist party now also attracts the highest foreign investment in India.
Howlin, Mo1...... Starting 2000 India formulated a policy of not accepting monetary aid (unless absolutely urgent). India of today is not the India it used to be a decade ago.
I am personally involved in a fund raising campaign and trust me on this.... India does not need aid. No disrespect, but India today is more capable of handling such calamities by itself. If u dont believe me, come here and have a look.
Yeah, I've been to India quite recently - earlier this year actually. It struck me just how wealthy the country really is. I'd always thought of it as a pretty poor nation.
It's wealth is spread over an awful lot of people - so the average standard of living doesn't match the wests (although it was better than I expected) - but overall, the country is doing pretty well - and as bad as this disaster is, from what I can see it's really only affected a fairly small section of the country - the rest is very capable of providing aid to that area.
What impresses me isn't that India is capable of dealing with this. I'm quite impressed with the fact that their initial response has been to assist others as well as themselves - especially Sri Lanka, with whom relations haven't always been the best
That and what sounds like wage garnishment.
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