During the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, the Indian government launched Operation Ganga to offer humanitarian aid and evacuate Indian people from Ukraine. Operation Ganga (India) will be discussed on this page as a Similar Evacuation Operation in India, as well as other relevant information. So let’s just get this started.
What is Operation Ganga?
The Indian government has initiated Operation Ganga to bring back Indians who have been stuck in Ukraine. India has already successfully returned over 1,000 of its citizens to the country under this program. In addition, 247 control centers have been established as part of Operation Ganga to help in the evacuation of Indians through border crossing points with Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Slovak Republic. Dedicated Twitter Handle: ‘OpGanga Helpline,’ a dedicated Twitter handle for Operation Ganga, has also been created. All information on the evacuation procedure and embassies’ advisories are provided on OpGanga Helpline’s Twitter account to keep everyone informed.
Why is Operation Ganga making headlines?
- The Prime Minister of India recently chaired a high-level conference to discuss the ongoing Operation Ganga efforts to return Indians stuck in Ukraine.
- He stated that the entire governmental system is working around the clock to assure the safety and security of all Indian nationals in the country.
- India completed its first evacuation flight under Operation Ganga, transporting 219 Indians from Bucharest, Romania, to Mumbai.
What is the Need for Operation Ganga India?
- Thousands of Indians, mostly medical students, have been stranded in Ukraine since the country blocked its airspace as a security measure after Russia conducted “special military activities.”
- Finding an Alternative: Many students who arrived at Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Romania were denied entry into those countries.
- The administration had planned an alternate railway route from Uzhhorod in western Ukraine to Budapest, Hungary’s capital city, to assist with the evacuation of the students.
- India has also planned to send four Union Ministers to oversee the evacuation in Poland and Romania.
Indians in Ukraine:
- A considerable number of international citizens have found jobs and education in Ukraine.
- There are approximately 20,000-30,000 Indian nationals living in Ukraine at the moment.
- Many other nationalities, primarily from Africa and Asia, as well as those from Europe, are studying or working in various sectors of the Ukrainian economy.
- The immediate objective for all of these countries whose nationals are trapped in Ukraine is to ensure that they can travel to one of the bordering countries where evacuation is scheduled.
Operation Ganga by the Indian government is a crucial topic for UPSC prelims and mains. Another key topic is the Ukrainian Crisis, which is covered in the UPSC study material section. to gain a better understanding of Ukraine’s Russian Invasion of Ukraine – War, Crisis, and Conflict in Russia, Click Here
India’s Effort to Evacuate Citizens
- India is ensuring that its residents are safely evacuated. However, for individuals stuck in Ukraine’s eastern regions, moving is difficult due to limitations in the ability to fly aircraft safely.
- Many students who arrived at Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Romania were denied entry into those countries. However, the Indian Embassy informed them that alternate arrangements would be made to assist them in returning to India.
- It is expected that India would learn the exact number of Indian people day by day & that the Ministry of External Affairs will swiftly prepare for the safe departure of its citizens, as it did during the 1991 Iraq-Kuwait War.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that driven by India’s ethos of ‘World as One Family,’ India will assist individuals stranded in Ukraine from neighboring countries and underdeveloped countries.
So far, we’ve discussed What Ganga Operation is, the Need for Ganga Operation, and other pertinent information. Next, let’s have a look at some additional operations that are similar to Operation Ganga.
Other Similar (Operation Ganga) Evacuation Operation of India
The following operations are similar to Operation Ganga:
- Vande Bharat (2020): When the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world, the Centre launched the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Indian citizens who had been trapped abroad. As of April 30th, 2021, around 60 lakh Indians had been returned through various phases of the operation.
- Samudra Setu Operation (2020): During the Covid-19 epidemic, it was a naval operation as part of a national attempt to bring Indian residents home from abroad. By sea, it was able to return 3,992 Indian citizens to their homes. The Indian Naval ships Jalashwa (Landing Platform Dock) & Airavat, Shardul, & Magar (Landing Ship Tanks) took part in the 55 days operation, which covered more than 23,000 kilometers by sea.
- Evacuation from Brussels (2016): Terrorist attacks occurred in March 2016 at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and the Maalbeek Metro station in central Brussels. In a Jet Airways flight, a total of 242 Indians, including 28 crew members, returned to India.
- Raahat Operation (2015): A conflict erupted between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels in 2015. Thousands of Indians were stuck, and Yemen was cut off from the rest of the world by a Saudi-imposed no-fly zone. Under Operation Raahat, India evacuated nearly 5,600 individuals from Yemen.
Other Operation That Is Similar to Ganga:
- Maitri’s Operation (2015): It is a joint relief and rescue effort of the Indian government and Indian Armed Forces in the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Over 5,000 Indians were returned from Nepal by Air Force and civilian planes as part of a joint Army-Air Force operation. The Indian army evacuated 170 foreign people from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany.
- Operation Safe Homecoming (2011): India started ‘Operation Homecoming’ in 2011 to bring back Indian people who were stuck in conflict-torn Libya. India evacuated 15,400 Indian citizens as part of the operation. The Indian Navy and Air India were in charge of the air-sea process.
- Operation Sukoon (2006): When Israel and Lebanon went to war in July 2006, India launched this operation to rescue its stranded citizens, which has become known as the ‘Beirut Sealift.’ Since the ‘Dunkirk’ evacuation, it was the largest naval rescue mission. Between July 19 & August 1, 2006, the task team evacuated around 2,280 persons, including some Nepalese and Sri Lankan nationals.
- Kuwait Airlift (1990): When 1,00,000 Iraqi soldiers armed with 700 tanks marched into Kuwait in 1990, the royals and VIPs fled to Saudi Arabia. The common public was abandoned and left to their own devices. Indians made up almost 1,70,000 of those stuck in Kuwait. Over 1,70,000 Indians were transported and repatriated to India after India began the evacuation procedure.
Way Forward
- There should be a public appeal to Indian citizens to establish a Ukraine Fund to supplement the government’s efforts.
- When it comes to any crisis, the folks of India have shown to be highly forthcoming in the past. As a result, in this emergency, some coordination and support are required.
Conclusion
In this post, we discussed what Operation Ganga is and why it is needed, as well as the Indian government’s evacuation of Indians from ukraine. This is a crucial topic for UPSC, so study it carefully and take notes. UPSC notes should never be written in paragraph format because they are difficult to read and evaluate. As a result, always use bullet points and underline the most important information when taking notes. It will assist you in quickly filtering data. Also, keep an eye on the UPSC website for any new information.
FAQ- Operation Ganga
“At the time we issued our initial advisory, we had an estimated 20,000 Indian students in Ukraine,” Shringla said. Approximately 12,000 people have left Ukraine since then, accounting for 60% of the total number of our citizens in Ukraine.”
The Indian government launched Operation Ganga to bring trapped students and Indian students back to India from Ukraine. Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, General (Retired) Dr. VK Singh, and Kiren Rijiju were named as special envoys’ by the government to oversee the evacuation efforts. Despite the fact that Scindia is in Romania, Kiren Rijiju is in command of the evacuation efforts for the Slovak Republic. General VK Singh is in Poland, while Hardeep Singh Puri is in Hungary, where he is overseeing and coordinating the evacuation of stranded Indians.
The invasion began on February 24th, following Putin’s announcement of his intention to intervene militarily. In Eastern Ukraine, the whole military campaign included infantry divisions supported by armored forces and air assistance, as well as dozens of missile attacks in both Eastern and Western Ukraine.
Editor’s Note | Operation Ganga
Finally, we have put in this post all necessary information about Operation Ganga, Ukraine to India Evacuation by the Indian Government, and so on. As a result, we recommend that you make a list of all the key points that you will need to study during the exam. This is an important subject for the UPSC exam. Furthermore, completing as many question papers as possible can assist you in gaining information and increasing your self-confidence. This exam is highly difficult, and it is critical to receive proper coaching throughout the preparation period. Your achievement can be aided by guidance. Giving mock tests will help you develop your skills and identify your areas for growth. finally, best wishes
