Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is overseeing the evacuation efforts of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine as a Government of India-appointed special envoy, on Wednesday (local time) met the Indian Ambassador to Romania and Moldova, Rahul Shrivastava to discuss the operational issues for evacuation and the flight plan from Bucharest and Suceava in the coming days.
"Met the Indian Ambassador to Romania & Moldova, Sh Rahul Shrivastava Ji to discuss the operational issues for evacuation and the flight plan from Bucharest & Suceava in the coming days. #OperationGanga in full gear!" Scindia tweeted.
The ministers informed that Moldova's borders have been opened for incoming Indian students and talks are underway to make arrangements for their journey to Bucharest for onward flight to India.
"Moldova's borders have been opened for incoming Indian students. Proper shelter and food arrangements will be made. Talks are on to make arrangements for their journey to Bucharest for onward flight to India," he tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Scindia, who will oversee the evacuation efforts of Indian nationals in Romania and Moldova, met and interacted with Indian students awaiting their flights at the Bucharest Airport and assured them of their quick departure from the Romanian capital.
"Met & interacted with Indian students awaiting their flights at the Bucharest Airport. Overwhelmed by their grit & concerned by their anxiety amid the tough times. However, assured them of their quick departure from Bucharest. PM Narendra Modi ji & all of India have got their back!" he tweeted.
Operation Ganga and Indian Air Force step up
After Russia's forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, the Government of India launched 'Operation Ganga' to bring back stranded Indian nationals from the conflict-torn Ukraine. As part of the 'Operation Ganga' mission, special flights are being operated free of cost.
The first such evacuation flight carrying 219 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine landed in Mumbai on February 26.
Several such flights have landed in India so far.
Indian Air Force (IAF) has also joined the government's evacuation efforts as its C-17 transport aircraft left for Romania in the early hours of Wednesday morning from the Hindan airbase near New Delhi.
24x7 control centres have been set up to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals through the border crossing points with Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. A new route has been opened through Moldova and an MEA team is also now in place there and is operational. The team will assist in the evacuation of Indians through Romania.
A dedicated Twitter Account (@opganga) has 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.
In a bid to energize the evacuation efforts, the Government of India appointed four special envoys who will oversee evacuation operations of stranded Indians in Ukraine's neighbouring countries. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri will oversee evacuation efforts in Hungary, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in Slovakia, Gen (retd) VK Singh in Poland while Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will be going to Romania and will also go to Moldova.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several meetings so far to review the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine. He has also said that India will help people from neighbouring countries and developing countries who are stranded in Ukraine and may seek assistance.
An Indian student, Naveen Shekharappa died in Ukraine's Kharkiv following shelling in the area on Tuesday. He hailed from the Haveri district in Karnataka.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow.
These countries have also promised Ukraine to help with military aid to fight Russia.
Fighting in Ukraine has so far pushed more than 500,000 people across the country's borders, according to the UN refugee agency.
On February 28, negotiations between delegations of Russia and Ukraine were held in the Gomel Region of Belarus and another round of talks is scheduled for March 2.
(With inputs from ANI)
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