Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the efforts to evacuate Indian nationals, mostly students, stranded in Ukraine.
The meeting is being attended by Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and senior officials.
This is the fifth review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga for the return of Indians from Ukraine amid military operations by Russia.
At the virtual meeting of the Quad leaders on Thursday, PM Modi "emphasised the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy" for a way forward in the Ukraine crisis. In his remarks, PM Modi also reiterated the importance of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Centre has ramped up efforts to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine.
The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri will oversee evacuation efforts in Hungary, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in Slovakia, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in Romania and Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation Gen VK Singh in Poland.
Eighteen thousand Indian nationals have left Ukraine since the first travel advisory was issued by the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
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