Nepal turned down foreign rescue help? India clarifies as 320 still missing

India said it has offered to send NDRF personnel to Nepal for rescue operations, after reports said Kathmandu has turned down requests from several countries to deploy search teams following the devastating floods, which have left around 600 dead. In a media briefing on Friday, the MEA said the government's immediate priority was to locate its nationals who are still uncontactable. The MEA said 320 Indians and 100 people of Indian origin were still out of touch."We have also made a specific offer to Nepal authorities to dispatch NDRF teams along with associated equipment that can help in ongoing search and rescue operations. We await a response from Nepal," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.INDIA TO SEND TUNNEL RESCUE, MEDICAL TEAMSThe clarification comes after a report in The Kathmandu Post said Nepal's foreign ministry has declined requests from India and other countries to deploy specialised search-and-rescue teams. The Balen Shah-led government has underlined that its own forces were capable of handling the situation.Nepal's hesitation is likely based on its experience after the 2015 earthquake, when the arrival of numerous foreign rescue teams created coordination and management difficulties. India, however, will be sending a tunnel rescue team and a medical team to Nepal as authorities race against time to rescue those still stranded in the affected region.The immediate concern is the rescue of around 100 people who have been trapped for around two days at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project site. Jaiswal said portable Bailey bridges have already been sent following a request by the Nepali authorities. These will help in restoring transportation where bridges have been swept away by the flash floods that struck Rasuwa and neighbouring districts near the Tibet border. These bridges can be quickly put together along with a team. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar greets a group comprising 21 tourists from Tamil Nadu who were rescued from Nepal (PTI) 400 INDIANS ON CHINESE SIDE SAFEIn some positive news amid the gloom, the MEA said contact was established with around 400 Indians on the Tibetan side, and they were safe. Another 96 Indians stranded near the Tibetan border have crossed into Nepal.There has also been some progress in bringing Indians back home. The 21 Indians from Tamil Nadu who were rescued yesterday landed in New Delhi on Friday afternoon.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who received them at the airport, told reporters that around 85 Indians have been rescued from various places so far."They were very thankful, particularly to the Nepal army, which made this great effort to get them out of that very difficult place where they were," Jaishankar said. Nepalese army soldiers carry toddlers to safety after being rescued The Union Minister said India was in close touch with the Nepal government and was ready to provide a range of assistance."I spoke with the Nepal Foreign Minister this morning. We have given them a range of support offers. They are evaluating it, and whatever they feel is appropriate, they will pick up," he said."Right now the main thing is that in one place, where there is a hydroelectric project, there could be a possibility of people who may be trapped in a tunnel. We are sending a team to help," Jaishankar further said.NEPAL FACES SECOND FLOOD THREATMeanwhile, in Ground Zero Nepal, rescue operations have been complicated by damaged roads, disrupted communications and the threat of further flooding in the region.A lake formed by piles of debris near the Nepal-China border began overflowing on Friday, briefly forcing authorities on both sides to halt rescue operations. It led to a rise in water levels in the Trishuli River, threatening a second flash flood. However, rescue work resumed hours later.While it is still not conclusively known what caused the disaster, it was likely set off by an enormous chunk of ice snapping off a glacier and cascading thousands of feet to the valley below. This phenomenon is known as an ice avalanche.- EndsPublished By: Abhishek DePublished On: Aug 28, 2026 16:49 IST