India to despatch 2 warships to evacuate Indians from Libya

INS Jalashwa, the largest amphibious platform of the Indian Navy designed for sea-lift missions and is also capableof undertaking humanitarian missions.

The over 27,000-tonne ship can carry more than 1000passengers.

The MEA has already hired a ship Scotia Prince whichcan ferry 1,200 passengers. The ship is already in Egypt andreadying to sail to Benghazi, the second largest city ofLibya, which will be the initial focus of the evacuationoperations," the MEA said.

There are about 18,000 Indians in that country withmajority of them living in Tripoli which is one of theworst-affected cities due to the protests.

Indian companies, many of which are based in Libya fordecades, have also offered to work with the Indian Embassy inTripoli in facilitating evacuation.