On Ukraine evacuation, PM Modi says because of India’s rising power

Lucknow, Mar 02: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Indian government is making all efforts to evacuate people stuck in #Ukraine under Operation Ganga.

Addressing an election rally in Robertsganj, UP PM Modi said "We're making all efforts to evacuate people stuck in Ukraine under Operation Ganga. 1000s of citizens brought back to India. To accelerate this mission, India has sent its 4 ministers there, will leave no stone unturned for the safe passage of Indians".

"It is due to India's rising strength that we are able to safely evacuate our nationals stuck in Ukraine, for which we are running Operational Ganga.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that nearly 20,000 Indians who were stranded in war-torn Ukraine, 6,000 have been brought back to the country so far and the Centre is making all efforts for the safe return of the remaining ones.

"There were around 20,000 students/citizens who were stranded in Ukraine. Of them, 4,000 were brought back to India before February 24. Additional 2,000 students were brought back to India till Tuesday and efforts are on to evacuate the remaining Indians stuck there," he said.

Since the number of stranded persons is big, defence aircraft are being used to bring them back to India, Muraleedharan said.

With the help of Ukraine's neighbouring countries Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, the students are being evacuated to India, he said.

The Union government has initiated 'Operation Ganga' to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine.