India may have ruled out “immediate plans” to evacuate its nationals from Ukraine amid the fears of a Russian invasion, but the government has asked the ministries concerned, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), to be ready with an action plan for the evacuation if the situation worsens in Kyiv. “Indian diplomats have been asked not only to closely monitor the developing situation in Ukraine, but also to proactively stay in touch with their counterparts in Russia and other Central Asian countries as well so that timely action could be taken on the evacuation front,” highly-placed MEA sources told The Daily Guardian. “MEA officials are already coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other agencies whose services may be needed in case of an evacuation mission,” sources said.
“Meetings are being conducted in the South Block regularly to discuss the feedback and other inputs received from our embassies in Russia and Ukraine. MEA officials have recently held discussions with Russian diplomats in Delhi to have an assessment of the situation,” sources told The Daily Guardian.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has already removed restrictions on the number of flights and seats between India and Ukraine in the air bubble arrangement in what is being seen as a big move
to facilitate the travel of Indian nationals who want to leave Ukraine. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in regular touch with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on all this,” sources said. While travelling to Germany and France this weekend, Jaishankar will be in close touch with Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, sources said.
EAM Jaishankar will pay a six-day visit to Germany and France beginning Friday. Jaishankar will participate in the Munich Security Conference in Germany besides other engagements. From Germany, he will travel to France where he will hold bilateral talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. He will also attend an EU ministerial meeting on the Indo-Pacific.
MEA officials coordinating with the Indian embassy in Kyiv said that the demand for additional flights was growing in Ukraine, and the same had been communicated to the MoCA. Meanwhile, MEA said on Thursday that it has no immediate plans to evacuate Indian nationals from Ukraine even as fears mount that a Russian invasion of the country could take place any day. “No immediate evacuation plans, so don’t have any special flights. However, there were a limited number of flights under air bubble arrangements, restrictions on the number of flights and passengers removed. Indian carriers are being encouraged to operate chartered flights between India-Ukraine,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
“MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) has removed the restriction on the number of flights and seats between India and Ukraine in the air bubble arrangement. Any number of flights as well as charter flights can operate. Indian airlines have been informed to mount the flights due to increase in demand. MoCA is facilitating in coordination with MEA,” he said.
On the military build-up on the Russia-Ukraine border, the MEA said it supported “an immediate de-escalation of tensions and hoped the issue would be resolved through sustained diplomatic dialogue.” “Welcome efforts being undertaken under Normandy Format for implementation of Minsk agreements. We’d like to see a diplomatic and peaceful resolution of the situation,” said Bagchi.
According to information, the embassy of India in Ukraine has been receiving several appeals about non-availability of flights from Ukraine to India. In this regard, students are advised not to panic, but book the earliest available and convenient flights to travel to India.