As INS Jalashwa has set sail from Male bringing back the first batch of Indian nationals, Indian envoy to the Maldives, Sanjay Sudhir, has thanked the island nation government for facilitating the massive exercise process by providing "all kind of facilities".
In a video message posted on Indian embassy on Maldives twitter handle on Friday, Sudhir also thanked the Indian Navy to make the ship available under operation, adding that INS Magar will come in a couple of days to carry back 200 Indians stranded here.
"As a part of operation Vande Bharat, evacuation exercise from the Maldives have just begun...I would like to thank the Indian Navy to make the ship available under 'Operation Samudra Setu'. We are also looking forward to INS Magar in a couple of days now to carry back another 200 Indians and to carry the same number in the next couple of days," Sudhir said.
"I would also like to acknowledge the support given by the government of Maldive which on each step provided us with all kind of facilities for making this massive exercise possible in such difficult times," he added.
INS Jalashwa has set sail from Male bringing back the first batch of Indian nationals. According to the Indian Navy, there are 698 people being brought back. Among them, 19 women are pregnant women. This includes 595 males and 103 females on board the ship.
Indian Navy launched 'Operation Samudra Setu' (Sea Bridge) sending naval ships Jalashwa and Magar to the Port of Male, Republic of Maldives. The two warships will make four voyages two to Kochi and two to Tuticorin.
The two amphibious warships will make in total four voyages to repatriate over 1800 people stranded in the Maldives due to coronavirus lockdown, sources told on Friday.
( With inputs from ANI )