3,000 Indians to return home from Ukraine today

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt today said that Operation Ganga is progressing successfully and that four Union Ministers are taking care of every aspect of evacuation operations in different neighbouring countries of Ukraine.

He received the Indian nationals rescued from Ukraine and who arrived by the Fourth Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft at Hindon airbase near Delhi.

“I welcome you all on your safe return to our motherland… Prime Minister Modi himself is monitoring all developments, ” Bhatt told the Indian nationals on the flight.

Bhatt said, “We are taking care of every student returning from Ukraine. Our four Union Ministers are taking care of every aspect of evacuation operations in different neighbouring countries of Ukraine. Operation Ganga is progressing successfully.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had issued orders to the Air Force to pitch in the rescue operations to augment the level of Operation Ganga.

Notably, the American C-17 Globemasters and IL-76 transport aircraft are the most capable of flying to long distances with around 400 passengers. The C-17 transport aircraft had helped in a big way to evacuate citizens and officials from Kabul when the Taliban captured Afghanistan and forced Americans to exit from there.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said nine flights took off on Thursday from Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland.

“Nine flights have taken off today from Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland, including IAF aircraft. 6 flights more are expected to depart shortly. Altogether, will bring back more than 3,000 Indian nationals,” tweeted Jaishankar.