IAF joins Operation Ganga, 31 flights to bring back 6,300 Indians stranded in Ukraine

New Delhi: Air Force has sent three flights to bring back stranded people from the neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine, Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Sandeep Singh said on Wednesday.

The officer said that three C-17 Globemaster have been sent as of now. One of the aircrafts took off from its home base - the Hindan Air Force Station - near New Delhi.

"Relief materials are also being sent. The operation is underway in coordination with the MEA," he said.

"These are continuous round the clock operations to Romania, Poland, and Hungary," said Air Marshal Singh.

Talking about the capability of the Indian Air Force to operate such flights, he said, "We can operate four flights a day."

On the geopolitics situation, he said, "Geopolitics wise our position is very strong. We have good relations with everybody. We are evaluating, there can be certain difficulties, that should be all. It is still unfolding. We are evaluating."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India could evacuate its citizens stranded in war-hit Ukraine because of its rising power.

Addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district, Modi said the government would not spare any effort in bring home Indians stranded in Ukraine.

The American C-17 Globemasters is one of the most capable aircraft for flying long distances with close to 400 on board. The C-17 transport aircraft helped evacuate citizens and officials from Kabul when the Taliban captured Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Russian and Ukrainian troops continued to engage in fighting on the Kharkiv streets as war entered the sixth day after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the military operation.

31 evacuation flights in coming days

As many as 31 evacuation flights will be operated to neighbouring countries of crisis-hit Ukraine and will bring back more than 6,300 Indians stranded in the eastern European nation, according to official sources.

Under 'Operation Ganga', the flights will be operated by Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Indian Air Force.

From March 2, 21 evacuation flights will be operated to bring back Indians from Bucharest in Romania, while 4 will be from Budapest in Hungary, the sources said. Further, 4 flights will be operated to bring back people from Rzeszow in Poland and 1 flight from Kocise in Slovakia.

Indian Air Force will be bringing back Indians from Bucharest. Together, the planned 31 flights - from March 2 till March 8 - will be coming back with more than 6,300 people.

The sources on Wednesday said Air India Express and SpiceJet planes have a capacity for around 180 people while Air India and IndiGo can carry up to 250 and 216 passengers, respectively.

While Air India Express will be operating a total of 7 flights, SpiceJet will press 4 flights into service. Air India will operate 7 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 2 flights from Bucharest, 1 from Budapest and 1 from Kocise in Slovakia.

The sources said 9 evacuation flights have brought back Indians stranded in Ukraine since February 26, and around 5-6 flights are "underway".

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that six flights under 'Operation Ganga' have departed for India in the last 24 hours.

"#OperationGanga developments. Six flights have now departed for India in the last 24 hours. Includes the first flights from Poland. Carried back 1,377 more Indian nationals from Ukraine," he said in a tweet this morning.

'6,000 Indians back home so far'

Of the 20,000 Indians who were stranded in war-torn Ukraine, 6,000 have been brought back to the country so far and the Centre is making all efforts for the safe return of the remaining ones, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Wednesday.

He was speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of an event.

"There were around 20,000 students/citizens who were stranded in Ukraine. Of them, 4,000 were brought back to India before February 24. Additional 2,000 students were brought back to India till Tuesday and efforts are on to evacuate the remaining Indians stuck there," he said.

Since the number of stranded persons is big, defence aircraft are being used to bring them back to India, Muraleedharan said.

When asked about Shiv Sena's allegation that the name Operation Ganga is being used keeping the Uttar Pradesh elections is mind, he said, "It is not a political issue. It is national issue. It is pertaining to the safety of Indian citizens. There should not be any objection to the name."

In Pune, the minister met the parents of some children, who are stuck in Ukraine.

The evacuation flights are part of the Indian government's mission to bring back its nationals from the war-torn Ukraine in the aftermath of Russia's offensive in the east European nation.

As Ukraine has shut its airspace due to the conflict with Russia, India is currently evacuating its nationals by moving them via land routes to the east European country's neighbours, namely Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and then flying them out from there.

The first evacuation flight carrying 219 Indians from Bucharest landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening. According to official estimates, about 18,000 Indian students are studying in universities across Ukraine.

(With PTI inputs)