PM Modi briefed President President Ram Nath Kovind after a series of meetings on Ukraine. (File Photo)
After a series of meetings yesterday regarding the developments in war-torn Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning met President Ram Nath Kovind to brief him on various issues, including the Ukraine crisis, sources said. The PM reportedly briefed him on India's efforts to bring back students and other Indian nationals who have been stranded in Ukraine even as the war rages on.
The Indian government has launched "Operation Ganga" to evacuate its nationals through Ukraine's neighbouring countries. The Ukrainian air space has remained closed since February 24 when Russia started the invasion of the former Soviet republic.
Amid mounting criticism of India's evacuation efforts as stranded students flooded social media with frantic appeals for help, PM Modi held three meetings yesterday and assured that the entire government machinery is working "round the clock to ensure that all Indian nationals there are safe and secure" in Ukraine.
Four senior Ministers have been assigned to oversee evacuation efforts from the border countries to "energize the evacuation efforts".
Ministers Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and VK Singh will travel to the countries surrounding Ukraine as special Indian envoys to help with the evacuation. Jyotiraditya Scindia will be in charge of Romania and Moldova; Kiren Rijiju will fly to Slovakia; Hardeep Puri will go to Hungary and VK Singh will be in Poland.
PM Modi has also said India will help people from neighbouring countries and developing countries who are stranded in Ukraine.
"Guided by India's motto of the world being one family, Prime Minister also stated that India will help people from neighbouring countries and developing countries who are stranded in Ukraine and may seek assistance," the foreign ministry had said in a statement.
The government has ramped up evacuation efforts as parents and friends of stranded students have flooded social media with desperate appeals to the government to bring their loved ones back. Visuals of Indian students allegedly being assaulted, harassed, and made to wait for long hours in freezing cold have cast doubt on the government's claims.
1,922 Indians have been evacuated from Ukraine so far through nine flights under "Operation Ganga". Two flights had earlier managed to evacuate Indians before the airspace was closed. Air India brought back 241 Indians and a Ukrainian airline managed to bring 182 more before the government launched "Operation Ganga" to evacuate its nationals from neighbouring countries.
Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet are working in close coordination with the government to plan these flights.