New Delhi: India launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ this week to bring back its citizens stranded in war-torn Sudan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, adding that the government is “committed to assisting all brethren in Sudan.” The minister also informed that around 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan so far, while more are “on their way”.
“Operation Kaveri gets underway to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home,” Jaishankar tweeted – sharing a picture of evacuated citizens.
Earlier, the foreign ministry had said that India is making “every effort to ensure the safety and security of its citizens stranded in Sudan”. “We are closely monitoring the complex and evolving security situation in Sudan. We are also coordinating closely with various partners for the safe movement of those Indians who are stranded in Sudan and would like to be evacuated,” the ministry said in a statement.
Apart from the Sudanese authorities, the foreign ministry and the Indian embassy in Sudan are regularly in touch with the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and the US to ensure the evacuation of Indians from the war-torn country.
According to the website of the Indian embassy in Khartoum, there are around 2,800 Indian nationals in Sudan. Along with this, there is also a settled Indian community of around 1,200 people – which has been in the country for nearly 150 years.
First batch of 360 Indians evacuees reach Delhi
The first batch of 360 Indians from crisis-hit Sudan arrived in New Delhi on the evening of April 25 under “Operation Kaveri”.
“India welcomes back its own. #OperationKaveri brings 360 Indian Nationals to the homeland as first flight reaches New Delhi,” tweeted Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, along with arrival pictures.
