The Centre on March 2 informed the Kerala High Court that it was taking all necessary measures for repatriating Indians and Indian students from Ukraine.
The submission was made by S. Manu, Assistant Solicitor General when a writ petition seeking a directive to the Centre to take steps to facilitate repatriation of students from Kerala stranded in Ukraine came up before Justice N. Nagaresh.
In a statement, the Centre submitted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Slovak Republic and Poland regarding safety and facilitation of evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. The Union Minister for External Affairs had also spoken to Foreign Ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Moldova. Besides, in addition to the passenger flights, Indian Air Force Flights were also being sent to these countries for evacuation of stranded Indians. More IAF flights would also be sent in the coming days.
The Centre also informed the court that of the estimated 20,000 Indian nationals in Ukraine, 60% (30% reached India and 30% in neighbouring countries) had already crossed the Ukrainian borders and were safe. The government was also taking necessary measures to evacuate the remaining 40% of the Indian nationals by utilising all its means. These Indian nationals were being taken care of by the Government of India, at its cost, till they reached India under “Operation Ganga”.
The statement further said that the situation in Kharkiv was volatile and under heavy shelling. It was advisable for our students to stay put wherever they were for their physical safety. As and when the situation improved, the students in Kharkiv would be evacuated on priority in a suitable manner.
In fact, the Union Ministry of External Affairs had been issuing advisories since February 15 to the Indian nationals to leave Ukraine temporarily. On 1st March, another Advisory was issued by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv for the remaining Indian nationals to leave Kyiv immediately and as a result, almost all the Indian nationals left Kyiv.
Most of the Indian nationals had moved out of Kyiv to the relatively safer western borders of Ukraine from where they would cross the borders with the neighbouring countries and then would be brought back to India by the “Operation Ganga '' flights, the Centre told the High Court.
Besides, the External Affairs Ministry had also taken up with the Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi regarding the need to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in Ukraine, the Centre further submitted.
