The Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Shri Syed Akbaruddin told media persons in a media briefing in New Delhi today about Indian assistance being provided currently to Maldives. In Maldives there was a fire at the sole desalination plant last evening following which there is a major crisis in terms of availability of water in Male. India understands that this will take quite some time, about a week, to resolve the situation. Therefore, Maldivian government, last night contacted the Indian Government. The External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj did receive a call from her Maldivian counterpart late last night. She got clearances from the Prime Minister as well as other authorities in terms of ensuring that by this morning, at 07:30, the first Indian flight was air-borne to provide assistance to Maldives in terms of drinking water.