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Ukraine-Russia conflict: As thousands of Indians are stranded in the crisis-hit Ukraine, the Centre has informed that as many as 31 evacuation flights will be operated to bring back 6,300 citizens from the easter European nation. Under "Operation Ganga", Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Indian Air Force will be operated for the evacuees.
Air India Express and SpiceJet planes have reportedly a capacity for around 180 people while Air India and IndiGo can carry up to 250 and 216 passengers, respectively. News agency PTI, citing sources said that 21 evacuation flights will be operated to bring back Indians from Bucharest in Romania, 4 will be from Budapest in Hungary, another four flights will be operated to bring back people from Rzeszow in Poland, and one flight from Kocise in Slovakia. The IAF will be bringing back Indians from Bucharest.
Altogether, 31 flights will depart from Ukraine's neighbouring countries between March 2 and March 8 to bring back 6,300 people.
Air India Express will be operating a total of seven flights, SpiceJet's four flights, and IndiGo will fly back people in 12 flights.
Air India Express and Air India will be flying in people from Bucharest while IndiGo has planned 4 flights each from Bucharest, Budapest, and Rzeszow.
SpiceJet will operate two flights from Bucharest, one from Budapest and one from Kocise in Slovakia.
Meanwhile, as per the foreign ministry, six flights under 'Operation Ganga' have departed for India in the last 24 hours. The flights carried back 1,377 Indian citizens.
Yesterday Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that around 2,000 Indians have returned to their homeland, while 4,000-5,000 are getting ready to be brought back by flights.
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