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India 'doesn't need' foreign aid
The Australian ^ | December 29, 2004

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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: humanitarianrelief; india; sumatraquake
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To: Nachoman

Not to worry. The US is cornering the market on fast food and cheap stores selling chinese made goods.


21 posted on 12/29/2004 2:24:39 AM PST by Netizen (jmo)
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To: Gengis Khan

Well that's a good thing.

Maybe India is a good model for other countries in the region to get their economies and collective governments in gear then?


22 posted on 12/29/2004 2:28:49 AM PST by MikefromOhio (12 days until I can leave Iraq and stop selling hot dogs in Baghdad....and boycotting boycotts)
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To: RightField

Very cool image.


23 posted on 12/29/2004 2:47:52 AM PST by Bon mots
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To: MikeinIraq; naturalman1975

Before this thread diverts to outsourcing (read India bashing) I would like to point out a few more things.

India has made brilliant strides in disaster management and relief operations with the aid of serious homegrown technology but we still have our share of problems. India mind u is a disaster prone country and has regular floods, droughts and earthquakes. India has a vibrant but chaotic democracy and a tardy bureaucracy and hence is often slow to react. While India has in place world class early warning systems to detect cyclonic storms, a giant tidal wave wasnt anticipated before and even if it had been in place it is still an enormous task (u also need the necessary equipments) to get the message to every costal village in India in such a short time (mind u India is a big country).


24 posted on 12/29/2004 2:49:20 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan

Sounds like the US...

I wont bash India too much for outsourcing. How can you blame them for accepting jobs that are coming into their country and hence generating revenue for the services we are talking about?


25 posted on 12/29/2004 2:52:39 AM PST by MikefromOhio (12 days until I can leave Iraq and stop selling hot dogs in Baghdad....and boycotting boycotts)
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To: Piefloater
The largest democracy.....says a lot about the system!

And the character of their government.

26 posted on 12/29/2004 3:55:36 AM PST by OldFriend (PRAY FOR MAJ. TAMMY DUCKWORTH)
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To: Howlin

If Paul Ehrlich were dead, he'd be spinning in his grave.


27 posted on 12/29/2004 5:12:26 AM PST by Oztrich Boy (There are only two kinds of people. Those who divide people into two kinds, and those who don't)
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To: Gengis Khan
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.

Thank you for that information.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the folks in India ... they took a nasty hit with this tsunami

28 posted on 12/29/2004 6:10:31 AM PST by Mo1 (Should be called Oil for Fraud and not Oil for Food)
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To: Piefloater

Indonesia was probably hit much harder and is economically less prosperous.


29 posted on 12/29/2004 6:12:12 AM PST by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: MikeinIraq

If we play the Islamofascist card right, they can be.


30 posted on 12/29/2004 6:12:50 AM PST by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: USMMA_83

So, they are like the USA, they rally together to help their own?


31 posted on 12/29/2004 6:16:35 AM PST by eyespysomething (And a happy new year!)
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To: Piefloater

Bravo for India. Foreign aid money can now be spread amongt third-world hellholes like Somalia and the UN Headquarters. Looks like Kofi will make his yacht payment this month.


32 posted on 12/29/2004 6:17:23 AM PST by Doohickey ("This is a hard and dirty war, but when it's over, nothing will ever be too difficult again.”)
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To: ZULU

after we find Osama...

unfortunately we need a friendly Pakistan to seal their border.

I know they suck at it, but its easier to work with them if they dont see us snuggling up to India....


33 posted on 12/29/2004 6:20:46 AM PST by MikefromOhio (12 days until I can leave Iraq and stop selling hot dogs in Baghdad....and boycotting boycotts)
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To: RightField

Gee, they are a lot more lit than Australia.


34 posted on 12/29/2004 6:57:25 AM PST by beaversmom (The greatness of a man is measured by the fatness of his wife)
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To: Piefloater

A nation of a billion that can afford nukes a large military, the latest fighter; can afford to instigate/coordinate a buoy warning system for the Indian Ocean Rim..


35 posted on 12/29/2004 7:01:37 AM PST by wolficatZ (Dec. 29, 1944-Ardennes- Don;t forget!.....grueling desperate small unit battles)
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To: Gengis Khan

I wasn't mocking India; please believe that. I was merely reacting to a country, ANY country, NOT taking money that is offered.

It is to be admired.


36 posted on 12/29/2004 7:49:40 AM PST by Howlin
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To: USMMA_83

This is so fabulous to read.

Considering the fact that two years ago, during Hurricane Isabel, one of the counties in North Carolina that Isabel didn't even come close to and/or hit had the highest requests for "storm aid," that surely is heartening to hear.

Believe me, we weren't denigrating India; just the fact that a country would actually take care of itself! You have to realize that some countries that don't need it will take it!


37 posted on 12/29/2004 7:52:30 AM PST by Howlin
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To: naturalman1975

It also helps that the states which were affected(barring the Andaman & Nicobar islands) have pretty strong economic & social infrastructure(Hospitals/responsive civic administrations/NGOs/volunteers) when compared to the rest of the country.That itself eases the strain considerably.


BTW,I have a bravo for you Aussies,your planes landed in Indonesia even before anyone talked of sending aid-that's how civilised folks behave(though you may not get anything in return)!!!!!!


38 posted on 12/29/2004 8:57:46 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
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To: Piefloater

good. they've not aided us in Iraq.


39 posted on 12/29/2004 8:58:25 AM PST by Jon Alvarez
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To: beaversmom

Australia is mostly empty - almost the same size as the 48 contiguous US states with only 20 million people. Nearly everyone is clustered around the south east and east coast, with a smaller cluster in the west. The centre of the country is remarkably empty without a lot of lights.


40 posted on 12/29/2004 7:40:24 PM PST by naturalman1975 (Sure, give peace a chance - but si vis pacem, para bellum.)
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