UAE offers $100 million in aid, India rejects it despite flooding crisis

World

Published: 2018-08-23 11:30

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 11:55


This isn’t the first time India has rejected foreign aid during a natural disaster. (Alaraby.co.uk)
This isn’t the first time India has rejected foreign aid during a natural disaster. (Alaraby.co.uk)

India rejected $100 million in foreign aid on Wednesday, which was offered by the UAE government to help the South Asian country with its flooding crisis in Kerala state.

More than 400 people were killed by the heavy floods since June, while more than 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of roads have been destroyed or damaged, wiping out 50,000 houses along the way, according to the Indian government.

India’s Foreign Ministry explained the reason behind rejecting the special fund.

"In line with the existing policy, the government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts," the ministry said in a statement.

While the ministry stressed that foreign donations can only be made by donors of Indian origin, it said on Tuesday that it “deeply appreciates offers from several countries, including from foreign governments, to assist in relief and rehabilitation efforts after the tragic floods.”

The statement was made despite Kerala's state chief minister pleading for more international aid.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for “high level” talks with the Indian government to accept the money offered by the UAE, which amounts to more than the $97 million so far promised by India's central government.

Vijayan said that the floods have caused damages worth $3 billion since the floods started in June.

This isn’t the first time India has rejected foreign aid during a natural disaster.

In 2004, the government rejected foreign help after the destructive Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 167,000 people and cost the country $19.9 billion in damages.