Rasuwa Floods: Status of India and China’s Assistance to Nepal
Following the devastating floods in Rasuwa district, the Indian government has pledged continuous support to Nepal’s relief efforts by sending humanitarian aid. As of Thursday evening, at least 359 people have died and hundreds remain missing due to the disaster. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar wrote on social media, “The second flight carrying 37.5 tons of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) materials, medicines, and food packets has departed for Nepal.” Jaishankar had earlier announced that India had already sent 10 tons of similar aid and essential medicines.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal stated on August 27 that among those missing following the floods near the Nepal-Tibet border are over 300 Indian nationals, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI). Ranadhir Jayswal, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed on August 27 that at least 21 Indian pilgrims from southern Tamil Nadu on the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage had been rescued.
Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussed the situation with his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah on August 26, committing to provide Nepal with “all possible humanitarian assistance.” Modi wrote on X, “Our teams are closely coordinating rescue and relief operations.” India’s Home Minister Amit Shah additionally stated that the government is closely monitoring the flooding situation in Nepal. Shah noted that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are on standby in the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh districts bordering Nepal.
What support is China providing? Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming shared on August 27 via X that the disaster in the Girong-Rasuwa Gadhi border area caused ‘‘great sorrow’’ to China and inflicted significant damage on both sides. Zhang stated that China is firmly supporting Nepal and, despite suffering some damage on its side, is coordinating immediate emergency supplies and financial aid. He confirmed that China will endeavor to provide additional assistance to Nepal.
Girong is a key border crossing connecting China and Nepal. Reflecting efforts from Beijing, China’s state broadcaster CCTV’s evening news bulletin on August 26 focused on the government’s leadership in managing the disaster. President Xi Jinping directed that every effort be made in the search and rescue of the missing. According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, early estimates indicate that approximately 100 Chinese citizens in the disaster zone on the Nepal side are currently unreachable, as reported by the official Xinhua news agency. Lin emphasized that China is coordinating closely with Nepal on joint search and rescue operations.
Government media interviews with experts indicate that the landslide source is near a river along the Nepalese border, with rapid water flow hindering early warning in the area. Indian media have questioned, “Where was China’s warning?” This disaster has sparked extensive debate among Indian news outlets. Some anchors have portrayed Nepal’s floods as signifying a major strategic risk or vulnerability for India. In a CNN-News18 program, anchor Rahul Shivshankar remarked, “India, Nepal, and China all lie in the lower Himalayan region. Natural disasters may be unavoidable, but India must prepare for activities in the upper Himalayan region where China is expanding its presence, construction, and control across parts of Tibet.”
An article published on NDTV’s website raised questions about whether early warnings from China could have helped reduce human casualties during Nepal’s most severe natural disaster to date. A major Hindi daily, Hindustan, has suggested that China ‘‘betrayed’’ Nepal in this context.