Under Operation Kaveri, the first flight carrying 360 stranded Indians from crisis-hit Sudan has arrived in New Delhi, announces External Affairs, Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Wednesday evening.
Jaishankar took to Twitter and said, "India welcomes back its own. #OperationKaveri brings 360 Indian Nationals to the homeland as first flight reaches New Delhi".
India welcomes back its own. #OperationKaveri brings 360 Indian Nationals to the homeland as first flight reaches New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/v9pBLmBQ8X — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 26, 2023
According to official data, The total number of Indians evacuated so far from Sudan stands at 534.
Operation Kaveri is a rescue mission, launched by the Government of India to evacuate its stranded citizens from crisis-hit Sudan. According to media reports, nearly 500 Indians reached Port Sudan as of Monday.
The choice of naming the rescue mission "Operation Kaveri" is significant. The Kaveri River runs through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and it is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (Mother Kaveri). "Rivers reach their destination irrespective of barriers. It's like a mother who will ensure she will bring her children back to safety," a top government source was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
According to the official data, around 4,000 Indians are stuck in Sudan. The operation was launched a day after the External Affairs Ministry said two C-130 aircraft and the navy ship INS Sumedha were on standby to evacuate its stranded citizens.
Under its evacuation mission, the government has set up a transit facility at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the operation is being overseen by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.
After their evacuation from the crisis-hit Sudan, all the Indians have been taken to Jeddah.
What is happening in Sudan?
The political unrest in the African nation escalated on April 15 which turned into a nationwide conflict when tensions between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over Security Sector Reform (SSR) led to a shootout between their commanders.
Days of fighting between the two armed forces have now led to a humanitarian crisis that has killed over 400 people and left millions of foreigners and Sudanese without access to basic necessities.
