'Operation Ganga': India to bring back around 4,800 Indian students from Ukraine in 3 days

Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said that around 4,800 Indian students will be evacuated from Romania in 24 flights between Wednesday and Friday amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia who has been heading the front in Romania under India's 'Operation Ganga' for evacuating Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine is presently positioned in Bucharest and is facilitating the evacuation of the students. 

While addressing a virtual press conference on Wednesday, he informed that he will be going to the Siret, the border checkpoint with Ukraine, and will remain there for around 48 hours for facilitating the evacuation.

"Around 3,000 Indian students are stuck in Bucharest, while 1,000 students are in the Siret. Also, another batch of 1,000 more students are expected to come through the Siret checkpoint and the government hopes to send them all safely back to India within the next three days", he added.

Further speaking on the number of flights that will be taking students back to India, Scindia said that six flights including two of the Indian Air force will depart for India with 1,300 students on board on Wednesday, other two flights will also depart from Suceava with 450 students while another six flights will depart from Bucharest with 1,300 students and four flights with 890 students from Suceava will depart on Friday. 

"Therefore, a total of 3,500 students from Bucharest and 1,300 students from Suceava will be departing in three days", he mentioned. 

Union ministers facilitate India's evacuation campaign amid the Russia-Ukraine war

The Union Aviation Minister also spoke about the state of the students and said that he met some students at the airport. "They have been through a lot of trials and tribulations and now it is the government's responsibility to bring them back home safely. What they have been through is difficult to earn explain and it is like they have come out of a war-like condition", he added.

Meanwhile, India carries out its 'Operation Ganga' in Ukraine for evacuating stranded Indian nationals from the war-hit nation. Also, Union Ministers continue to remain in Ukraine's western neighbours for monitoring the evacuations of the Indians. While Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is in Hungary, Jyotiraditya Scindia remains in Romania. Kiren Rijiju in Slovakia and VK Singh in Poland. 

Image: PTI/AP