Operation Ganga was an evacuation operation by the Government of India to evacuate primarily students who were stranded in Ukraine as a result of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Here are the highlight of Operation Ganga:
- Aims: To safely evacuate Indian nationals from Ukraine.
- Timeline: Operation Ganga was active in mainly the month of February 2022 and March 2022. Operation Ganga operations continued after March 11, 2022 for those nationals that were still in Ukraine.
- Agencies Involved: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian Armed Forces, Air India, and private Indian airlines, in terms of evacuation operations.
- Mode of transport: Evacuated travellers flew into neighbouring states of Ukraine, from where the Indian Government flew those citizens to India. The evacuation flights departed neighbouring countries, such as Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova, across the border from respective Ukrainian cities. Ukraine airspace was closed due to the conflict. Travellers moved to these neighbouring border countries with the assistance of respective foreign governments.
- Numbers: Approximately 22,500 Indian nationals were evacuated in roughly 90 evacuation flights, including those flown by the Indian Air Force. The Indian government covered the airfare for the evacuation flights.
- Critical Government Operation: The Operation was closely monitored and coordinated by the highest levels of government in India, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Special envoys Union Ministers were briefly sent to neighbouring and port countries to coordinate ground efforts for evacuating citizens.
- Humanitarian Aid: Flight deliveries from the Indian Air Force aircraft evacuated Indian national civilians to India while also delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
- Neutrality: While India maintained neutrality during Russia – Ukraine conflict with respect to the conflict, the safety and return of Indian citizens from Ukraine was of primary importance.
