Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to send four Union Ministers to countries such as Poland, Romania and Hungary that border Ukraine in order to help expedite the evacuation of Indian students stranded there after the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri, Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradtiya Scindia, and and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation General V K Singh will fly out as Special Envoys of the Indian government, sources said.
The decision was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speed up the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine as the fighting has escalated with Russia.
PM Modi is reported to have told officials that bringing back the country’s students is the highest priority for the government.
The foreign secretary made a presentation on the issue.
Around 16,000 Indian nationals, most of them students, are still stuck in Ukraine, which has been reeling under Russian invasion since Thursday.
PM Modi had also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday and stressed that India attaches the "highest priority" to the safe exit and return of its citizens from Ukraine.
A Russian statement on the conversation said PM Modi "thanked President Putin for the clarification and asked for assistance in ensuring the security of Indian citizens currently in Ukraine". President Putin said "necessary instructions" would be given.
Meanwhile, the fifth flight carrying Indian nationals from Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport this morning. The flight with 249 nationals originated from Bucharest in Romania.
The passengers praised the Indian Embassy officials for their safe evacuation from Ukraine.
"Government has helped us a lot. All possible support was provided by the Indian Embassy. The main problem is crossing the border. I hope all Indians are brought back. There are several more Indians still stranded in Ukraine," a student who arrived in Delhi from Ukraine was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has advised Indian nationals against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.
In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.
The Indian government has set up a dedicated Twitter handle to assist in the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine under Operation Ganga.
The Twitter account lists helpline numbers in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic – all nations which share borders with Ukraine.
Also read: PM Modi holds high-level meeting to expedite evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine
