Operation Ganga: IAF Aircraft leaves for Romania

Continuing efforts to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine, an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 transport aircraft left for Romania in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The aircraft carried humanitarian assistance to the people stuck in war-hit Ukraine.

The aircraft has taken off from the Hindan airbase at around 4 am.

The Air Force will ensure that more people can be evacuated in a shorter time frame and it will also help to deliver humanitarian aid more efficiently.

The Union government has launched 'Operation Ganga' to bring back stranded students and Indian citizens from Ukraine. Special flights are being operated by Air India, SpiceJet and Indigo as part of the mission.

The first evacuation flight carrying 219 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine landed in Mumbai on February 26. Several such flights have landed in the country so far.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a tweet said, “Six flights have now departed for India in the last 24 hours, including the first flights from Poland. Carried back 1377 more Indian nationals from Ukraine.”

A dedicated Twitter Account has also been set up to assist ‘Operation Ganga’. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several meetings so far to review the ongoing efforts to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine. He has also said that India will help people from neighbouring countries that are stranded in Ukraine and may seek assistance.