India has sent 1000 MT rice as humanitarian assistance for drought affected Malawi. External Affairs Ministry said in a social media post that the consignment departed for Malawi yesterday. The humanitarian assistance will address the consequences of the severe drought caused by El Niño phenomenon.

India has also sent humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe for food security needs of the Zimbabwean people. A consignment of 1000 MT rice departed from the Nhava Sheva port for the African nation yesterday. A shipment of 1300 MT Maize has also been sent as humanitarian assistance for Zambia which would help to meet food and nutrition needs of the people there.

As per the MEA social media post, Vishwabandhu (a friend to the world) India has also extended medical aid consisting of Essential Life-saving Antibiotics and General Medicines to the government of Republic of Chad, in response to a deadly fire incident. It said, the consignment weighing approximately 2300 Kgs of medical aid departed from Delhi yesterday.

El Nino and La Nina are climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that affect weather worldwide.