Make plans to get Sudan Indians home: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a high-level meeting to assess the risk posed to Indian citizens in Sudan, where the military and a powerful paramilitary is locked in a battle for control since last week, leading to violence that has killed over 400 people and crippled the country’s main airport.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the meeting via video-conferencing, and among the attendees were external affairs minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and the Indian ambassador to Sudan BS Mubarak, among other senior officials.
The PM ordered contingency plans to be drawn up in case India needs to evacuate its citizens, and asked for the situation to be monitored closely.
“During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi assessed the most recent developments in Sudan and received a first-hand report of the conditions on the ground, with a specific focus on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout the country,” the PMO said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Modi instructed all relevant officials to remain vigilant, closely monitoring developments and continuously evaluating the safety of Indian nationals in Sudan and extending them all possible assistance. The prime minister further directed the preparation of contingency evacuation plans, accounting for the rapidly shifting security landscape and the viability of various options,” the statement added.