NEW DELHI: 182 Indian citizens from Ukraine have been brought back to India, by the seventh evacuation flight as part of the Centre's "Operation Ganga."
The special Air India Express flight landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai on Tuesday morning. Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Narayan Rane received the evacuees, most of them students, at the airport, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Minister said the government is committed to repatriating all Indians from Ukraine. He assured the students that their friends and colleagues in Ukraine will also be evacuated soon.
Interacting with the media, the Union Minister said that having returned from the war-torn zone, the students were feeling nervous and worried and that he assured them that they are now safe. He said that all assistance needed for them to reach home will be provided by respective states.
Touching the motherland and meeting with families, students expressed gratitude towards the government. Various state governments set up a helpdesk at Mumbai Airport to facilitate the students.
Air India Express flight had taken off from the Henri Coanda International Airport, Bucharest at 11.10 p.m. (IST) on Monday and reached Mumbai at 7.05 a.m. Tuesday morning after a brief stopover in Kuwait for refuelling. This was the 7th flight operated under “Operation Ganga” evacuation mission.