An earthquake struck Nepal at on 25 April 2015 with a moment magnitude of 7.8 (or 8.1Ms) and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). It was the most powerful earthquake to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. Many thousands of people died, with most casualties reported in Nepal (including Mount Everest), and adjoining areas of India, China, and Bangladesh.
Within minutes of the earthquake, the Government of India, initiated Operation Maitri via the Indian Armed Forces, and created humanitarian missions with the primary objective of conducting relief and rescue operations in Nepal. India was the largest aid donor to Nepal after the earthquake by donating one billion dollars and other non-monetary reliefs. Many countries and organizations donated aid, including China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, all of which provided or funded helicopters as requested by the Nepalese government. Numerous charitable organizations, such as UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières, delivered aid. Israel provided a large team of people to the relief effort in Nepal. Another earthquake, or major aftershock struck Nepal on 12 May 2015. A total of $3 billion was pledged by donors to help rebuild Nepal.
India
25 April: initial response
The Government of India was among the first to respond to the crisis by launching a full-fledged rescue and relief operation codenamed Operation Maitri. Within 15 minutes of the quake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately ordered the dispatch of relief and rescue teams, including medical teams, to Nepal. By the afternoon ten teams from India's National Disaster Response Force, totaling 450 personnel and including several search and rescue dogs, arrived in Nepal; ten additional Indian Air Force planes departed to join them. In the immediate aftermath, India sent 43 tons of relief material, including tents and food. Modi spoke with Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and assured him of India's support and assistance.
The Indian Army sent three military commanders led by Major General J. S. Sandhu to Nepal to coordinate, oversee, and fast-track the rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts. The Indian personnel worked closely with hundreds of retired Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Army. The Indian Air Force mobilised its Ilyushin Il-76, C-130J Hercules, Antonov An-32 and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters for Operation Maitri.
26 April
The Indian Air Force evacuated over 500 citizens from Nepal between 25 and 26 April, and hundreds later on 26 April. Ten flights were scheduled for 26 April, which airlifted army forward hospitals, teams of doctors, nurses, and paramedics, engineering task forces, water, food, National Disaster Response Force teams, medical personnel and equipment, blankets, stretchers, and tents.
An Indian army mountaineering team recovered the bodies of 19 mountaineers from Everest base camp and rescued at least 61 stranded climbers on the mountain. Indian Air Force helicopters reached Everest on the morning of 26 April for rescue operations. Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar announced that six more National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams would be sent to Nepal in the next 48 hours, and that the aircraft sent to Nepal would not just rescue Indians, but citizens of other countries as well.
By nightfall, India dispatched a further 10 tons of blankets, 50 tons of water, 22 tons of food items, and 2 tons of medical supplies to Kathmandu. Nearly 1,000 NDRF personnel were assigned, and Indian citizens were evacuated by road. The government deployed 35 buses to evacuate stranded Indians in Nepal via two routes—Sonauli and Raxaul—along the Indo-Nepal border. India issued goodwill visas to foreigners stranded in Nepal and mobilised buses and ambulances to bring them to India by road. Indian Railways shipped 100,000 bottles of drinking water via the Air Force to be delivered as part of the relief effort. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu later tweeted that there were arrangements being made to supply 100,000 bottles every day. Air India reduced fares on flights bound for Kathmandu from Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi, and announced that it would also carry relief material on its flights. Similarly, SpiceJet offered to accommodate "accredited NGOs and relief organizations looking to transport emergency supplies" and doctors free of charge.