Amid raging war between Israel and Hamas, India has begun evacuating its citizens from the conflict zone. This is not the first time that New Delhi has launched special rescue missions for its citizens staying abroad. The Government of India over the decades has carrying out such humanitarian operations. With Operation Ajay, India has once again shown that preparedness to rescue its citizens in any kind of situation. As flights bring back Indians from strife-torn Israel, here’s a look at top rescue missions carried out by India since 1990:
Kuwait Airlift (1990): Also known as ‘Operation Safe Homecoming,’ Kuwait Airlift was a heroic and unprecedented evacuation effort conducted in August 1990. Under the leadership of then-Prime Minister VP Singh, the Indian administration swung into action to rescue its citizens. The mission was an extraordinary success, with the Indian government bringing back around 170,000 of its citizens to safety.
Operation Sukoon (2006): The largest naval rescue operation since World War II’s Dunkirk mission, Operation Sukoon saw India evacuating its citizens after the 2006 military unrest between Israel and Lebanon. It is also known as ‘Beirut Sealift.’
Operation Safe Homecoming (2011): New Delhi successfully evacuated nearly 16,000 citizens from Libya. This was a joint operation conducted by the Indian Navy and Air India.
Operation Sankat Mochan (2015): It refers to the mission conducted by India in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015. This operation showcased India’s commitment to providing immediate assistance and relief to its neighboring country during a time of crisis.
Vande Bharat (2020): The Vande Bharat Mission is an extensive repatriation effort launched by the Modi government to bring back Indians stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic. The mission was initiated in early May 2020 and continued in several phases to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals from various countries. According to the official data, around 60 lakh Indians were brought back from around the globe under this mission.
Operation Ganga (2022): It is mission that was launched by the Indian government amid the crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war. The mission majorly focused on evacuating and ensuring the safety of Indian students in Ukraine.
Operation Dost (2023): India launched this mission in the wake of the devastating earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria in February earlier this year. Living the ‘friend in need is friend indeed,’ New Delhi rescued people from both nations via this mission.
Operation Kaveri (2023): Government of India undertook this mission to rescue people after the conflict between the army and para forces in Sudan. Around 3,000 people were evacuated under this mission.