New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting, his second on Monday, to review the ongoing efforts under ‘Operation Ganga’ to bring back Indians stranded following the Ukraine invasion.
Thousands of Indians, especially students studying medicine in Ukraine, have been stuck in the country since it closed its airspace as a security measure after Russia launched “special military operations” against the country last week.
The Prime Minister said that the entire government machinery was working around the clock to ensure that all Indian nationals there are safe and secure. He pointed out that the visit of four senior ministers as his special envoys to various nations would energise the evacuation efforts. He also said that the first consignment of relief supplies to Ukraine to deal with the humanitarian situation on the country’s borders would be dispatched today.
Also read: Indian Embassy advises against aggressive behaviour at Ukraine railway stations
The Prime Minister added that India would help people from neighbouring and developing countries who are stranded by the Ukraine invasion and may need or seek assistance.
Operation Ganga has set up 24×7 control centres to assist in the evacuation through border crossing points with Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic. A Twitter handle, ‘OpGanga Helpline’, has also been set up where information regarding the evacuation process and advisories of embassies are being shared.
The Prime Minister on Monday decided to send four Union Ministers to Poland and Romania to oversee the evacuation – Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri, Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation General V K Singh.
A tweet by Scindia said: “Joyous homecoming! Relieved & delighted to see 250 Indians safely return from Ukraine on the @airindiain flight at the Delhi Airport. Received & interacted with them along with my colleague Sh @VMBJP Ji. Welcome back!”
Agencies
