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Business News/ News / World/  Govt steps up efforts to rescue stranded Indians from Yemen
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Govt steps up efforts to rescue stranded Indians from Yemen

This is the fourth major evacuation effort undertaken by the Modi government since it came to office in May last year

Minister of state for external affairs, Gen (retired) V.K. Singh to visit Djibouti on Tuesday to oversee the evacuation effort. Photo: Hindustan TimesPremium
Minister of state for external affairs, Gen (retired) V.K. Singh to visit Djibouti on Tuesday to oversee the evacuation effort. Photo: Hindustan Times

New Delhi: India has pressed private ships as well as Indian Air force and Air India aircraft to rescue some 4,000 Indian nationals stranded in war-torn Yemen, a senior foreign ministry official said on Monday.

This is the fourth major evacuation effort undertaken by the Narendra Modi government since it came to office in May last year.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said that in the initial phase, India was evacuating 400 Indians via the port city of Aden. Iran-allied Houthi militiamen are closing in on Aden, according to Reuters news agency.

“It is expected that they ( 400 Indians) will be moved from Aden to Djibouti. We have made arrangements there with our honorary consul who will be handling matters at that end," Akbaruddin said.

“We are utilizing the services of a local ship which will move these Indian nationals from Aden to Djibouti," he said.

“To oversee this effort, the minister of state for external affairs, Gen. (retired) V.K. Singh will be leaving for Djibouti tomorrow (Tuesday.) As part of our national effort, we are deploying two C-17 Globemaster Aircraft (of the Indian Air Force) to Djibouti so that all the Indian nationals who are moving there by sea can be brought back home safely, “ Akbaruddin said.

“Air India has positioned two planes in Muscat and they are also available for utilization as appropriate. An Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, which is in the region is also available for use. Two other Indian navy ships, INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash, will be deployed," he said.

“Should we receive clearances for repatriation by air, we will deploy aircraft to airlift our nationals from Sanaa to Djibouti and back to India. Our intention is to make every effort in this national endeavour to ensure safe return of our nationals who are in conflict zone in Yemen," he said.

Two passenger liners with capacity of 1,100 people had left Indian waters and are travelling towards Yemen, Akbaruddin added.

Meawhile, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia called Prime Minister Modi on Monday and promised the Indian government all assistance in its efforts to evacuate the 4,000
Indians in Yemen, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.

“Prime Minister shared his deep concern about the safety and welfare of the approximately 4,000 Indian citizens in Yemen. Prime Minister briefed His Majesty King Salman on India’s evacuation plan and requested His Majesty’s support and cooperation in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Yemen," the statement said.

“His Majesty...assured Prime Minister of his full attention to the safety of Indians in Yemen and all possible assistance for their early and safe evacuation," the statement said.

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Published: 30 Mar 2015, 01:19 PM IST
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