Minister of state for external affairs, Gen (retired) V.K. Singh to visit Djibouti on Tuesday to oversee the evacuation effort. Photo: Hindustan Times
New Delhi: India has pressed private ships as well as Indian Airforce and Air India aircraft to evacuate some 4,000 Indian nationals stranded in war-torn Yemen, a senior foreign ministry official said on Monday.
This is the fourth major evacuation effort undertaken by the Narendra Modi government since it came to office in May last year.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said that in the initial phase, India was evacuating 400 Indians via the port city of Aden. Iran-allied Houthi militiamen are closing in on Aden, according to Reuters news agency.
“It is expected that they ( 400 Indians) will be moved from Aden to Djibouti. We have made arrangements there with our honorary consul who will be handling matters at that end,” Akbaruddin said.
“We are utlising the services of a local ship which will move these Indian nationals from Aden to Djibouti,” he said.
“To oversee this effort, the minister of state for external affairs, Gen (retired) V.K. Singh will be leaving for Djibouti tomorrow (Tuesday). As part of our national effort, we are deploying two C-17 Globemaster Aircraft (of the Indian Air Force) to Djibouti so that all the Indian nationals who are moving there by sea can be brought back home safely, “ Akbaruddin said.
Air India has positioned two planes in Muscat and they are also available for utilization as appropriate. An Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, which is in the region is also available for use. Two other Indian navy ships, INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash will be deployed,” he said.
“Should we receive clearances for repatriation by air, we will deploy aircraft to airlift our nationals from Sanaa to Djibouti and back to India. Our intention is to make every effort in this national endeavour to ensure safe return of our nationals who are in conflict zone in Yemen,” he said.
Two passenger liners with capacity of 1,100 people had left Indian waters and travelling towards Yemen, Akbaruddin added.
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