India's Field Hospital in Venezuela Garners International Praise
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on July 2, 2026, shared a snippet of local media coverage from Venezuela, highlighting the inauguration of an Indian Army Field Hospital in Caracas under Operation Amistad. The hospital was set up following a devastating double earthquake that struck the country last week.
Jaishankar posted a video from TeleSUR, a Venezuelan news network, which reported on the inauguration of the medical facility in the La Rinconada sector. The post included the caption: "Un hospital de campaña de la India contribuye a los esfuerzos tras el terremoto en Venezuela. Esto es #OperaciónAmistad."
Operation Friendship India-Venezuela: 41 Doctors and Specialized Services
Michell Ramirez, the TeleSUR reporter, noted that the field hospital was inaugurated by the Indian government within the framework of Operation Friendship India-Venezuela. Maitrey Kulkarni, Director of Operation Friendship India-Venezuela, told Ramirez that the hospital is staffed by 41 doctors with various specialties, particularly for emergency treatments common in such catastrophes.
Kulkarni stated: "This is part of Operation Friendship that we have set up to offer our services to the brothers and sisters of Venezuela. This is a field hospital with 41 doctors of various specialties, especially to provide emergency treatments that usually occur in times of these catastrophes." He added that the team has extensive experience, having set up the same type of hospital in Sri Lanka six months ago after Cyclone Ditwah and previously in Myanmar after an earthquake, treating thousands of people.
Facilities Include Dentistry, Traumatology, and X-Ray Services
The hospital offers a range of services, including dentistry, traumatology, and laboratories. Kulkarni explained: "We have various services as I mentioned, from dentistry to traumatology; we have laboratories of different types for different tests, and an X-ray room that is, as some of our friends saw, set apart for radiation." He emphasized that all precautions and requirements have been taken to ensure the best possible care, and the facility can even perform minor surgeries. Currently, there are 20 beds installed, expandable to 50 due to available space.
Rapid Setup Achieved in Record Time
Ramirez asked Kulkarni about the rapid installation of the field hospital. Kulkarni credited the team's experience and the support from Venezuelan authorities: "As I say, it is thanks to the experience that this team has in setting up these facilities quickly, but also at the same time I must deeply thank all the support we have received from the government and the authorities of Venezuela." He noted that the team arrived the previous night and began setup at 3 a.m., and by the time the Vice-Minister of Health inaugurated the hospital, it was already ready.
Devastating Earthquakes: 2,295 Dead, 60,000 Buildings Damaged
The double earthquake, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, damaged or destroyed an estimated 60,000 buildings. According to Al Jazeera, about 13,000 people have been left homeless. In its last official update, Venezuela's government confirmed at least 2,295 deaths and 11,000 injured, with the death toll expected to rise as about 50,000 people remain missing.
