Russia-Ukraine war: PM Modi chairs high-level meeting

New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting to review India’s security preparedness, evacuation status and look at the current global scenario in view of the military escalation between Russia and Ukraine.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister directed the authorities to ensure that everything is done to bring back the body of Naveen Shekharapa, who died after heavy shelling in Kharkiv.

The Prime Minister was also briefed on the latest developments and different aspects of India’s security preparedness in the border areas as well as at sea and in the air, an official statement said.

The leader also asked for details of India’s evacuation mission from Ukraine, Operation Ganga and the evacuation of some citizens of India’s neighbouring countries from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 Indians were brought home from the Ukrainian border via various neighbouring countries in more than 90 special flights during Operation Ganga.

On Friday, the last batch of students returned home on a special flight carrying about 600 Indian students, which landed at the Hindon Indian Air Force Base a day later.

Earlier, Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for evacuating four Nepali citizens, mostly students, from Ukraine amid the Russian military offensive.

The evacuation of Nepalese students is part of India’s “Operation Ganga” at the request of the Nepali government.

Russian troops launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognised the breakaway regions of Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities.