List of toughest evacuations executed by the Modi government

Team Udayavani, Aug 24, 2021, 11:51 AM IST

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, countries across the world came scrambling to extricate their respective nationals from the strife-torn country.

As execution isn’t an easy job and can be a disastrous nightmare. With the government coming up with a practical solution to rescue its marooned citizens in a foreign country while managing the political crisis developing back home.

Over the years, India has been one of the countries that have been successful in executing its evacuation plans and bringing its stranded citizens back home. Since the Modi government came into power, India has aced in tackling hostage and humanitarian crises unfolding in foreign countries.

Below is a list of successful evacuation operations carried out by India under the Modi government.

1.A Group of 46 Indian nurses was rescued from ISIS captivity in strife-torn Iraq in 2014

A group of Keralite nurses had flown down to Kerala from the captivity of ISIS militants in strife-torn Iraq with their mind full of relief and gratitude to a woman- the then External Affairs Minister, late Sushma Swaraj.

The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, had begun when ISIS (Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) militants had launched an offensive in that region on June 9 in 2014.

Even as Indian authorities continued to maintain constant touch with their counterparts in Iraq for the safe release of nurses, they were moved out against their will and detained in the militant-held city of Mosul, 250 km from Tikrit.

Intense efforts by Swaraj and the External Affairs Ministry led to the rescue of the nurses and their safe evacuation in buses to Erbil International airport, located 70 km from Mosul. From there, they were brought to Mumbai first and then to Kochi on a special flight.

2. More than 4,500 Indians and 960 foreigners evacuated from war ravaged Yemen in 2015

“We evacuated more than 4,500 Indians and over 2,500 foreigners from Yemen,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

She said that the Indian government made repeated requests calling upon Indians to leave Yemen.

“We had to close our embassy in Sanaa due to the situation prevailing there,” she said, adding that some people chose to stay back.

“Some of those evacuated, returned to Yemen,” Sushma Swaraj stated.

“We do not have our Embassy there. It is a war-torn situation. We are not in a position to evacuate people from Yemen at this stage,” she added.

Yemen is under attack from a Saudi Arabia-led Arab coalition after an established government was dislodged from power by Houthi rebels.

3. Indian CRPF contingent evacuated as the situation worsened in Libya in 2019

In 2019, India evacuated its entire contingent of peacekeeping forces comprising 15 CRPF personnel from Tripoli after the situation there “suddenly worsened.” Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

The United Nations called for a two-hour truce to allow evacuations of civilians and the wounded, while the unity government said the fighting had killed 21 people. The US, too, temporarily withdrew some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground”.

4. India brings back 168 people amid tense security situation in Kabul, in 2021

India evacuated 168 people including 107 Indians from Kabul in a military transport aircraft of the IAF amid the deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital city following its takeover by the Taliban a week back.

Another group of 87 Indians and two Nepalese nationals who were flown in an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft to the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe from Kabul on Saturday, arrived in Delhi on Sunday morning, people familiar with the development said.