New Delhi, February 26: An Indian Air Force (IAF) special flight carrying around 15 Tons of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergency medical equipment departed for the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Wednesday.

The AIF flight will also bring back Indian and foreign nationals from some of the neighbouring countries, who had sought assistance in travelling to India, in keeping with New Delhi's neighbourhood first policy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. India, China in Talks Over Third Evacuation Flight to Coronavirus-Hit Hubei, No 'Deliberate Delay' From Beijing, Says Report.

"This assistance has been provided in the wake the Coronavirus (Covid 19) outbreak in China and the request by China to provide supplies such as masks and medical equipment," the statement read.

The medical supplies will help augment China's efforts to control the outbreak of this infection which has claimed more than 2700 lives in the country and has been declared as a Public Health Emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The development comes more than two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping, offering assistance to China amid the outbreak of the disease. Coronavirus in Iran: Death Toll Rises to 19, 44 New COVID-19 Cases Reported in Last 24 Hours.

"The assistance being sent today is also a mark of friendship and solidarity from the people of India towards the people of China as the two countries also celebrate 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year," the statement read. Coronavirus first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has since then spread to several countries across the world, including India.