Operation 'Kaveri': IAF Planes, INS Sumedha Bring Indians to Jeddah From Sudan; Govt in Talks With Private Airlines for Next Step

India’s rescue operation – ‘Kaveri’ – is in full swing to bring back its nationals from conflict-hit Sudan with three batches of stranded Indians having left the country so far and reaching Jeddah. News18 has learnt that the Indian government is in touch with private airliners to facilitate the onward journey to India.

Three batches of stranded Indian nationals have so far reached Jeddah via two Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft and naval ship INS Sumedha. India on Sunday had said it has positioned two transport aircraft of the IAF in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and naval ship INS Sumedha at Port Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate the stranded Indians.

In an early morning tweet on Wednesday, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the third batch comprising 135 Indians from Port Sudan arrived in Jeddah by IAF C-130J aircraft, adding that onward journey to India for all who arrived in Jeddah will commence shortly.

Latest Updates on Evacuations Under Operation ‘Kaveri’:

-News18 has learnt that the government is in touch commercial airliners to bring back evacuees from Jeddah. Sources said that talks with IndiGo and some other commercial carriers are underway.

The central government is planning to use commercial planes to get evacuees to India and not to keep IAF C-130J occupied for the same as these two aircraft will be deployed to ferry stranded people from Sudan to Jeddah.

-First batch of 278 stranded Indians left Sudan under Operation ‘Kaveri’ on naval ship INS Sumedha on Tuesday and docked in Jeddah.

-The second batch of 121 stranded Indians left Port Sudan for Jeddah onboard IAF C-130J aircraft later on Tuesday.

-Another C-130J flight carrying another 135 passengers, the third batch of evacuees under Operation ‘Kaveri’ has also reached Jeddah.

The government had last week said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens currently located throughout Sudan.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last few days that has reportedly left around hundreds dead.

Sudan Conflict Explained in GFX

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced India’s evacuation operation a day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that contingency plans to bring back the Indians from Sudan have been put in place, noting that any movement on the ground would depend on the security situation.

The ministry had said the security situation in Sudan continues to be “volatile” with reports of fierce fighting coming from various locations in the country’s capital Khartoum.

Before India deployed its aircraft and naval ship, some stranded Indians were rescued by Saudi Arabia and France from crisis-hit Sudan.

(With PTI inputs)

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