Prepare contingency plan to evacuate Indians stuck in Sudan: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting and review the situation relating to Indians in Sudan.

During the meeting the PM asked officials to be read with a contingency evacuation plan for the Indians in Sudan.

The virtual meeting was also attended by External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, Ambassador of India to Sudan B S Mubarak along with the envoys to Egypt and Riyadh, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs), MEA, Dr Ausaf Sayeed.

The PM sought a report of the on-ground situation with a specific focus on the safety of the 3,000 Indians present in Sudan.

A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, " PM Modi asked the officials to prepare for contingency evacuation plans, accounting for the rapidly shifting security landscape and the viability of various options."

Earlier the Ministry of External Affairs said that it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Sudan. "This is an issue on which we are keeping a very close watch and the evolving situation there," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

"Our mission in Khartoum is in contact the Indian community there through formal and informal channels. Our embassy has issued several advisories," Bagchi also said.

A control room has been been opened in New Delhi to address the concerns more efficiently.

"We have set up a 24x7 dedicated control room for providing information and assistance," Bagchi said.

"Most of the calls are being received in Khartoum. However, there are people who are contacting here (MEA office in New Delhi). More than 100 calls have been received in less than 24 hours," Bagchi also said.

"There has been an unfortunate death of one Indian national. His body is currently at a hospital after a lot of effort, we have been able to get that body move from his apartment complex into a mortuary. Our embassy is in touch with the family of the deceased as well as the medical authorities there. We are engaged with countries in the region and other countries that have a key role to play particularly, the US, UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE," Bagchi said on being asked about the death of an Indian in Sudan.

"Our ambassador in Washington DC and High Commission in London are in touch with the respective host governments. We are also working with various UN Bodies that are present since the UN has a significant presence there," the MEA spokesperson also said.

The situation in Sudan has come under heavy criticism by world powers. They have called for peace with immediate effect.