Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 expressed gratitude to the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, NDRF, and all other security personnel deployed in the state, acknowledging their ongoing efforts to rescue and evacuate people to safety during the current flood emergency.

Context

Writing on X, CM Sarma said, 'We are grateful to our Army, Airforce, NDRF and all other security personnel who are leaving no stone unturned to bring people to safety.' The post was accompanied by four images depicting ground-level rescue and relief operations. The statement comes amid Assam's annual monsoon flood season, when the Brahmaputra and Barak valley rivers routinely breach their banks and displace lakhs of residents across riverine districts.

Policy Backdrop

The coordinated deployment of central forces in Assam during floods is rooted in the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which established the legal framework for NDRF deployment and state-centre coordination during natural disasters. Since at least 2010, every monsoon has seen joint operations involving Army columns, Air Force helicopter sorties for aerial evacuation and supply drops, and NDRF teams pre-positioned across vulnerable districts. Successive Assam governments have institutionalised requests for central armed forces and NDRF battalions as a standard protocol for search, rescue, and relief.

The Indian Air Force typically conducts sorties over inundated zones to airlift stranded residents and deliver essential supplies where road access is cut off. NDRF teams, equipped with inflatable boats and specialised gear, operate in flooded villages alongside local administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of these operations are flood-affected residents of Assam's riverine villages, many of whom face annual displacement during the monsoon months of June through September. The scale of Assam's flood crisis is historically significant — the state is among the most flood-prone in India, with the Brahmaputra being one of the world's largest river systems by discharge. Communities in low-lying districts bear the brunt of inundation, erosion, and loss of livestock and crops each year.

CM Sarma, who also serves as convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), has consistently maintained visible communication during flood emergencies, using social media to update citizens and acknowledge the contributions of central and state forces deployed on the ground.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the Assam state government's announcements on post-flood rehabilitation packages and any formal requests to the Ministry of Home Affairs for additional central assistance. Relief camps, restoration of road connectivity, and compensation for crop and property damage are typically the next priorities once the rescue phase stabilises. The pace of river levels receding across the Brahmaputra valley will determine how quickly forces can transition from active rescue to relief distribution and rehabilitation support.