Operation Kaveri Updates: The security situation in Sudan is still very complicated, unstable, and unexpected. India's goal is to evacuate every Indian who is still stuck there. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on today, April 27.
Speaking to reporters about the ongoing "Operation Kaveri" evacuation mission, Kwatra stated that 1,700 to 2,000 Indian citizens had been relocated from the conflict areas, and that this number included both those who had already left Sudan and those who were en route from the capital city of Khartoum to Port Sudan. He said, nearly 600 Indian nationals have already landed or are en route to India. 360 Indians may have arrived in New Delhi last night via chartered flight from Jeddah.
The foreign secretary said that India has been in contact with the two opposing factions in Sudan and other relevant parties and has been able to evacuate its citizens as a result of a favourable response from the parties in question because they recognise that New Delhi supports a very strong development partnership with Khartoum. "The situation is extremely complicated, extremely dynamic, and unpredictable. Both the SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) and RSF (Rapid Support Forces) have been in contact with us. Our interactions have been pleasant. To move the Indians out of dangerous locations and into Port Sudan, we are in contact with all parties, said Kwatra.
Regarding the total number of Indians living in Sudan, he claimed that 300 more had contacted the Indian embassy in Khartoum and that 3,100 have registered online. Also present in Sudan are 900–1,000 PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin).
As part of "Operation Kaveri," India has been busing its nationals from conflict zones in Khartoum and other unrest-ridden regions to Port Sudan, where they are then transported to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah by heavy-lift transport aircraft and ships from the Indian Air Force. Around 850 km separate Khartoum from Port Sudan, and depending on the circumstances and whether buses are running at night or during the day, the trip can take anything from 12 to 18 hours.
The Indian Air Force has deployed two of its C130J cargo planes, and the Indian Navy has deployed its warships INS Sumedha, INS Teg, and INS Tarkash. The ships and aircraft are being in excise to take the Indians to Jeddah, from where they are being flown to India. "Our goal is to get the stranded Indians out of harm's way as quickly as we can...Our goal is to bring every trapped Indian to a relatively safe location, then to Port Sudan and back to this country (India), he said. Separate control centres have already been set up by India in Jeddah and Port Sudan, and the Indian embassy in Khartoum has been coordinating with them in addition to keeping in touch with the MEA's Delhi headquarters.
"We currently have 495 Indian nationals in Jeddah. 320 Indians are in Port Sudan. To bring more passengers to Port Sudan, we have more buses, Kwatra said. 42 Indian nationals, have relocated to South Sudan. After carefully assessing the crisis scenario, Kwatra claimed that the Indian government's work has been to advise and assist the trapped Indians to be safe and help them migrate to secure regions wherever possible.
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