NB Explains | What is "Operation Ajay"? How govt plans to bring back Indians stranded in Israel

NewsBharati    12-Oct-2023 11:38:32 AM
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New Delhi, Oct 12: In a major development, India on Wednesday launched "Operation Ajay" to bring back Indians from Israel as the conflict escalated with Israel retaliating against Hamas's attack that started on Saturday.
 
Jaishankar Israel attack Operation Ajay
This comes after Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel last week prompting Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war against the Palestinian terror attack
 
India being a strategic partner of Israel condemned the Hamas attack and PM Modi expressed solidarity with Israel. As soon as the conflict broke out, the external affairs minister alerted Indians in Israel to exercise caution. The ministry came up with a helpline number and on the 5th day of the conflict, India launched Operation Ajay.
 

What is Operation Ajay? All you need to know

 
1. 
There are around 18,000 Indians in Israel including students, professionals and traders. So, Indians in Israel who wish to return will be facilitated in this operation.

 
2.
Operation Ajay is not technically an evacuation operation. It is an operation to repatriate its citizens from Israel amid a war situation in the country.
 
 
3.
 Special chartered flights will bring back the Indians. Indian Navy ships will be deployed if the need arises.
 
 
4.
“Launching #OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return. Special charter flights and other arrangements (are) being put in place. Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad," external affairs minister S Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday. Jaishankar has also spoken to UAE's foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed on Wednesday.
 
 
5.
The first flight is on Thursday as the embassy in Tel Aviv emailed the first batch of registered Indians in Israel. “Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” the mission said.
 
 
6.
 A 24-hour control room in New Delhi is monitoring the situation in Israel and Palestine. The phone numbers for the control room are 1800118797 (toll free), +91-11 23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 and +919968291988, and the email ID is situationroom@mea.gov.in. The Indian embassy’s 24-hour emergency helpline can be accessed on the numbers +972-35226748 and +972-543278392, and the email ID cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in
 
 
7.
The first batch of Indians is expected to be brought back from Israel in a special flight on Thursday.
 
Israel's Consul General in Mumbai Kobbi Shoshani said he had no information of any Indian national injured or killed in the ongoing fight. Actor Nushrratt Bharuccha was in Israel to attend the Haifa International Film Festival when the conflict began and the actor was safely brought back to India.
 
Around 27 people from Meghalaya including Rajya Sabha member Wanweiroy Kharlukhi, were stranded in Bethlehem when the conflict broke out. The MEA arranged for their safe passage into Egypt.
Operation Ajay Israel Hamas Dr S Jaishankar