New Delhi:
With the violent protests in Libya showing no signs of abating, the Indian government, according to sources, has readied an action plane to evacuate its nationals residing in the trouble-torn country.
Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the ministry was coordinating with other concerned ministries and is ready to fly in planes or send a ship with medical teams to help the 18,000-strong Indian population staying there.
The government, though, has no immediate plans of evacuation and is monitoring the situation closely.
"Saw on Stratfor that Turkish Air flight to evacuate their citizens from Benghazi denied permission to land. Returned to Turkey...Please understand that we have 18000 Indians there. It is not a question of evacuating a few hundred people...Situation Room numbers: +91-11-23015300, 23012113, 23018179. Email:controlroom@mea.gov.in", tweeted Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
India had, earlier, expressed "deep concern" over the situation in Libya following the violent anti-government protests.
Libyan Ambassador to India Ali al-Essawi had also reportedly resigned in protest against his government's violent crackdown on demonstrators.
With civilian unrest against the ruling regimes spreading to Gulf, West Asian and North African regions, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is understood to have briefed him on steps to ensure the safety and security of lakhs of Indians there.
The Prime Minister was briefed about the contingency plans of the ministry in case of any threat to the Indian population living in these regions, sources said.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said yesterday that no decision had been taken on the evacuation of the Indians in Libya. Hundreds of Indian nurses are employed in the Arab state.
"We have not taken any decision on evacuation yet. But we will obviously monitor the situation and take whatever steps necessary to deal with it," Rao said while expressing "deep concern" over the situation in Libya.
Yemen, Libya, Bahrain and Tunisia have been witnessing violent anti-government protests in the last few weeks.
Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said a committee had been set up to monitor the situation in Libya and prepare plans to meet any eventuality in wake of the unprecedented protest in the Arab state against the Moammar Gadhafi regime that has left 223 persons dead.
"The committee would comprise Foreign Secretary and Overseas Indian Affairs Secretary among others. This committee would be planning to meet any eventuality," he said.
"Government is making all preparations to meet any eventuality so that we can act immediately," he added.
The External Affairs Ministry has established a 'situation room' to provide necessary facilitation to members of the Indian community in the countries affected by the unrest. A Control room has already been set up in the ministry to enable people in Libya to get in touch with government here.
Two meetings were held yesterday and strategies to meet the developing situation could take shape over the next few days.
"We are concerned about nurses in Benghazi (Libya) and our ambassador has reached out to them. They are safe. We have 3,000 Indians in the city," Rao had said.
Rao also said India will also be talking to other countries particularly from the European Union which has their nationals in Libya.