The Modi government has launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to bring back stranded citizens amid escalating violence due to clashes between the army and paramilitary forces in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. As part of ‘Operation Kaveri’, two flights, carrying Indian citizens rescued from Sudan, have landed in India as well. So far, the rescue of Indian citizens from the war-torn country was not without challenges. As the operation to evacuate Indians stuck inside war-torn Sudan is underway, the teams involved in this mission are facing immense challenges. However, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, which are involved in the operation, have been working hard to overcome all the challenges and problems. They have so far succeeded in sailing through the challenges as well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to be personally monitoring the operation regularly, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is coordinating with the IAF and the Indian Navy to make the mission a grand success. It is because of the monitoring and guidance by the top leadership of the country that the teams have so far been able to make the most of the 72-hour ceasefire window.
The task is a gigantic one as about 3,000 civilians have yet to be brought out. But the high spirit which marks the Operation Kaveri is an indicator that the entire operation will be completely successful. The mission, undoubtedly, reaffirms PM Modi’s care and priority for the safety of Indians living abroad. While meeting Indian evacuees from Sudan in Jeddah, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan reiterated it, saying “Getting back everyone is our government’s priority”. The MEA also announced that the government has been prioritising the safety of more than 3,000 Indian citizens currently spread across Sudan. In a swift action, PM Modi held a high-level meeting the day one, and instructed officials to prepare contingency plans for the evacuation of Indians from Sudan. In what should be viewed as a result of India’s diplomatic skills, New Delhi has so far been able to coordinate efforts with other countries having the most civilians and resources in Sudan. These countries include the U.S., the U.K., the UAE and Saudi Arabia. En route to the Caribbean for a scheduled visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also met with the UN Secretary General in New York to seek help. The efforts put in collectively by the PMO, MEA, IAF and Indian Navy suggest that Operation Kaveri will also come off with flying colours like the ‘Operation Ganga’ under which Indians had been evacuated from the conflict-torn Ukraine last year. Needless to say, the situation which is assuming complicated proportions in Sudan with every passing day is going to add to challenges for the Indian mission. The fighting between the army and the paramilitary group will intensify after the ceasefire window in the conflict-ridden African country. But India is confident of overcoming all the challenges that may arise in future. Nothing explains the level of confidence in the Indian diplomatic establishments any better than Foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra’s statement, saying that India has also received requests from other countries to help evacuate their citizens and is willing to assist. This shows that India has prepared its evacuation plan perfectly well keeping in view all sorts of challenges that might be there. The Modi government will not hesitate to save the lives of citizens of other countries as well. Kwatra also stated in a special press briefing that about 600 Indian nationals have either arrived in India or are en route. More C-130J aircraft are stationed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to continue evacuation efforts. Three Indian Navy ships—INS Sumedha, INS Tej, and INS Tarkash—are involved in rescue operations, evacuating citizens from Port Sudan. The first group of stranded Indians left Sudan on INS Sumedha on April 26, followed by INS Tej, while INS Tarkash is expected to dock in Port Sudan soon. The Indian embassy in Khartoum is working to transport more Indian citizens to Port Sudan for evacuation. What is more significant is that India is also negotiating with the warring factions to ensure the safe passage of its citizens, particularly to safer zones within Khartoum. All these details shared by the Foreign Secretary are proof of India’s well-planned operation to evacuate Indians as well as citizens of other countries from Sudan. It goes without saying that ‘Operation Kaveri’ shows India’s efficiency in tackling challenges that crop up while carrying out evacuation exercises in foreign countries.