Explained: Govt’s strategy to bring Indian nationals home from Ukraine

With Ukraine's airspace closed, how are Indian nationals being evacuated? And, what preparations are being made for their arrival in India?

The first batch of evacuees from Ukraine reach Romania via Suceava border crossing, to travel to Bucharest for their onward journey to India. (PTI Photo)

In light of the tensions in Kyiv, which led to the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, the Indian government has started evacuating Indian citizens from Romania and Hungary, with which Ukraine shares its western border. In addition to these special Air India flights being chartered by the government to fly Indian nationals back home, states and airports here are also preparing for the arrival of these evacuees.

Also read | ‘How can we not panic’: Indian students in Ukraine plead for safe return

What are the flights being operated to evacuate Indian nationals?

With Ukraine’s airspace closed, Indians were taken across the border into Romania and Hungary.

Government-chartered Air India flights are being operated to Bucharest in Romania and Budapest in Hungary to evacuate these citizens.

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Early Saturday, around 3.30 am IST, Air India’s flight from Mumbai to Bucharest departed and is expected to arrive back at Mumbai around 8 pm IST.

Similarly, the airline’s flight from Delhi departed around 11.30 am IST for Bucharest, and is expected back in Delhi around 10.15 pm on Saturday.

The first batch of evacuees from Ukraine reach Romania via Suceava border crossing.

Our team at Suceava will now facilitate travel to Bucharest for their onward journey to India. pic.twitter.com/G8nz2jVHxD

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) February 25, 2022

What preparations are being made for the arrival of evacuated students from Ukraine?

Delhi Airport, in an updated travel advisory, noted that Indian nationals who are not vaccinated or do not posses Covid-19 negative test reports will be exempted from uploading documents on Air Suvidha portal before departure on humanitarian grounds, and will be able enter the airport.

Mumbai Airport, on the other hand, said those without a vaccine certificate or a negative RT-PCR report will be tested at the airport and the cost will be borne by the airport. “The airport has blocked a special corridor for the arriving passengers… These passengers would be able to leave the airport, post-testing negative. If any passenger is tested positive, they shall be clinically managed as per the protocols laid down by the government,” the Mumbai airport said in a statement.

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Are states taking any additional steps?

The Kerala state government is reported to be working on a plan to provide air tickets to students returning to Kerala via Delhi and Mumbai on evacuation flights from Ukraine. The state government has directed its district collectors to make necessary arrangements for those reaching airports in Kerala.

In a letter written Thursday to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had noted that among the Indian students in Ukraine, 2,320 students belong to Kerala.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said Friday that the state government would bear all travel expenses incurred by the approximately 5,000 students and diaspora stranded in Ukraine.

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