With security situation in Yemen becoming grimmer, India has intensified efforts to evacuate its nearly 4,000 stranded citizens. The Government has pressed in two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemasters, two Indian Navy ships — INS Tarkash and INS Mumbai, two passenger line ships and two Air India Boeings for the rescue operations. In addition, INS Sumitra, which is already in the region, has being diverted towards Djibouti.
Besides, Minister of State of External Affairs Gen (Retd) VK Singh will reach Djibouti on Tuesday to oversee the rescue operations along with five senior diplomats from Indian missions in the region and Delhi.M On Monday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with IAF, Navy, ministry of Shipping and Defence officials to discuss rescue plans. It has been decided that about 400 Indians will be evacuated on Monday by ship from Aden from where they will be moved to Djibouti.
The two C-17 Globemaster aircrafts will bring home these 400 people from Djibouti. Air India has positioned two planes in Muscat for utilization at appropriate time. Already a batch of 80 Indians have reached home via the Djibouti route through Qatar Airlines. The entire amount of the rescue operation is being funded by Indian Community Welfare Fund of the Government.
“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,” said MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin. This is the fourth major rescue operations India in undertaking in the last ten months after having evacuated its citizens from Ukraine, Iraq and libya.