The fourth evacuation flight carrying 222 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine departed from Hungary's capital Budapest under Operation Ganga, informed Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday (local time).
Puri, one of the four 'special envoys' deployed by the Government of India to oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals in Ukraine's neighbouring countries, reached Budapest on Tuesday.
He further informed that the fifth flight from Budapest with 200 Indian students will leave for Delhi shortly.
Taking to Twitter, the Union Minister said, "Even as we were being received by Amb Kumar Tuhin Operation Ganga Incharge in Budapest 18.35 local time, the fourth evacuation flight was taxiing for takeoff with 222 Indian students. The IndiGo 6Eflight which brought us will take the fifth batch of about 200 students back to Delhi shortly."
Puri interacted with Indian students at the Budapest airport ahead of their boarding.
"Delighted to interact with this undaunted bunch of youngsters from all parts of India who held their nerves even in the most difficult circumstances and will shortly board the flight back home. I am happy for them and their parents. The smiles on their faces tell the story. Happy to be with this group of resilient and bright Indian students in Budapest who will soon be homeward bound," said the Union Minister.
Hardeep Singh Puri reached Budapest on Tuesday to facilitate the evacuation of Indian citizens stranded in crisis-stricken Ukraine.
The Union Government has been ramping up its efforts to evacuate Indians from Ukraine.
The government has 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 while Gen VK Singh in Poland.
The Indian government has launched Operation Ganga for the return of Indians from Ukraine amid military operations by Russia.
Meanwhile, the seventh flight carrying 182 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine reached Mumbai from Romania's Bucharest as part of 'Operation Ganga' on Tuesday. Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the efforts to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine. The meeting is being attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and senior officials.
The Prime Minister had on Monday chaired two meetings to review the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga for the return of Indians from Ukraine amid military operations by Russia. Another meeting was held on Sunday. The Cabinet Committee on Security had met on February 24 in the wake of Russian military actions in Ukraine.
( With inputs from ANI )
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