Tag: Operation Kaveri

Morning Digest: May 6, 2023

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Army and Assam Rifles personnel during a flag march in violence-hit areas amid tribal groups’ protest over court order on Scheduled Tribe status, in Imphal, on May 5, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Central security forces flood crisis-hit Manipur

The Centre has “taken over” control of security in violence-hit Manipur on Friday by deploying 12 companies, comprising around 1,000 personnel, of the Border Security Force (BSF) and airlifting anti-riot vehicles to the northeastern State, even as stray incidents of violence and looting were reported from parts of the State. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has denied promulgating Article 355.

Pakistan Foreign Minister a promoter, spokesperson of terror industry: Jaishankar

Calling Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a “promoter, justifier and spokesperson” of terrorism, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday hit out at Islamabad for its continued support to terror groups. Speaking at the end of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council For Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM) that he had chaired, Mr. Jaishankar said Indians felt “outrage” over a incident on Friday, referring to the firing in Rajouri in which five Indian soldiers were killed. The bilateral spat between both countries came even as the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting agreed to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas, including economic and technological spheres.

Sudan’s warring sides send envoys for talks in Saudi Arabia

Sudan’s two warring generals sent their envoys on May 5 to Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at firming up a shaky cease-fire after three weeks of fierce fighting that has killed hundreds and pushed the African country to the brink of collapse, three Sudanese officials said. According to the three — two senior military officials and one from their paramilitary rival — the talks will begin in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on Saturday.

Fresh firefight takes place at Rajouri encounter site in Jammu: Army

A fresh firefight between the security forces and hiding militants took place in the Kandi Forest area in Jammu division’s Rajouri on May 6. The Army said the security forces engaged the hiding militants in a firefight in the Kandi Forest area in Jammu’s Rajouri around 1:15 a.m. On Friday morning, the hiding militants detonated explosives and killed five soldiers immediately after contact was established with them during the combing operation.

Operation Kaveri wraps up with 3,862 Indians now home from Sudan

India on Friday wrapped up ‘Operation Kaveri’, launched to rescue its nationals stranded in crisis-hit Sudan, with the transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force making its final flight to bring 47 passengers home. India launched Operation Kaveri on April 24 to evacuate its nationals from Sudan, which has witnessed deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group.

Border situation is ‘stable’, China’s Foreign Minister tells EAM Jaishankar

The situation along the India-China border is “generally stable” and both sides should “draw lessons from history”, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in talks on Thursday. Mr. Qin and other Chinese officials have described the border situation as being “stable” and moving to what they have called normalised management, and asked India to place the issue in an “appropriate” position in the relationship.

India at vanguard of digital revolution, its financial inclusion journey can be example for others: United Nations officials

India is at the vanguard of the digital revolution and its financial inclusion journey can be an example for other developing countries to look at, senior United Nations (UN) officials and economists have said. The discussion, organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, aimed at bringing to centre stage the role of financial inclusion in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

All demands of wrestlers met, let police finish its probe: Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on May 5 said that all demands of the wrestlers sitting on dharna in Delhi have been met and that they should let an unbiased probe be completed by Delhi Police. “It is my request to all the sportspersons who are agitating there that whatever their demands were, they were met. Court has also given its directions and they should let an unbiased probe be completed,” Mr. Thakur told reporters in New Delhi.

COVID-19 no longer a global emergency, says WHO

The World Health Organization said on May 5 that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide. “It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “That does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat.”

PM Modi accepts French invite for Bastille Day celebration in Paris

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invite from French President Emmanuel Macron to be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in Paris on July 14, in Paris, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. Mr. Modi’s presence in Paris is being described as a gesture of special significance as India and France are celebrating the 25 th anniversary of the strategic partnership, launched in 1998.

As Ukrainian attacks pick up inside Russia, the war is coming home for Putin

For months after the Ukraine war began, which Russia still calls a “special military operation”, many ordinary Russians, particularly those whose families were spared from the mobilisation, saw the conflict as something that’s happening far away from home. Not any more: with drones attacking the Kremlin, the seat of power in the Russian capital, just a few days before the Second World War Victory Day celebrations, the war is coming home for Russians.

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Morning Digest: April 30, 2023

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365 passengers landed at IGI airport from Sudan under Operation Kaveri, in New Delhi on April 29, 2023
| Photo Credit: ANI

Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, security agencies discuss safeguarding of Kashmir highway

With the Amarnath yatra just two months away, security agencies on Saturday discussed ways and means to tackle threats like vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices in south Kashmir. Officials said securing the national highway, which connects Jammu with the Srinagar and the Amarnath route in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam, remained the focus of the meeting. The threat posed by vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and other potential militant threats were debated and counter-measures were discussed, they said.

Quarantine facilities being set up for those arriving from Sudan, says Centre

The Indian government is evacuating about 3,000 passengers of Indian Origin from Sudan, and necessary quarantine facilities are being arranged at transit junctures in mission mode for incoming passengers. 1,191 passengers had arrived so far, of which 117 passengers were currently quarantined as they had not been vaccinated against yellow fever. All passengers will be released after 7 days if they remain asymptomatic, it added.

Access to basic supplies restricted at protest site, say wrestlers

Wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday night took to Instagram to accuse the Delhi Police of restricting supply of electricity and rations. “At the protest site, they (police) have cut off electricity and have barricaded the site, making it difficult for us to access basic necessities like food and water, they even asked us to end our protest as FIRs have been registered against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh,” Mr. Punia said, in his Instagram video.

ED raid on edutech unicorn Byju’s in Bengaluru under ‘FEMA violations’

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) searched the premises of Think & Learn Private Limited, which runs the online private education portal Byju’s, in Bengaluru, under provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). A statement by the ED revealed that ₹28,000 crore of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the company, and ₹9,754 crore overseas direct investment by the company are under the scanner.

SEBI seeks 6-month extension to complete Adani probe

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on April 29 asked the Supreme Court for six more months to complete its investigation into Hindenburg Research’s damning report accusing the Adani Group of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud schemes over the course of decades”. The market regulator said it was probing “12 suspicious transactions” raised in the Hindenburg report.

Government likely to ask addicts to submit for rehabilitation to avoid jail time

As the Union government debates decriminalising consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, it is likely to bring in a policy where addicts and users will have to submit themselves before treatment centres and declare themselves as such in order to escape criminal prosecution. Currently, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the consumption of any narcotic drugs or psychotropic substance may attract a jail term of up to one year and/or fines up to ₹20,000.

Centre plans an ‘overhaul’ of its research institutions

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), which is the main source of funds and sustenance for at least 30 autonomous research bodies — some of them of global prestige — is in the middle of a “rationalisation” exercise that involves merging, “disengaging” and even closure of some organisations. The DST exercise is part of a larger project initiated by the Centre to reduce the number of autonomous institutions funded by various Ministries.

Operation Kaveri: Fresh batch of 365 people return home from Sudan

India on April 29 brought back home a fresh batch of 365 people under its mission to evacuate stranded Indians from strife-torn Sudan. The return of the fresh batch of Indians came a day after 754 people arrived in India in two batches under the evacuation mission. The total number of Indians who were brought back home now stands at 1,725, according to official data. The Indians were brought back home from the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where India set up a transit camp for the evacuees.

100th episode of PM Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to be broadcast live in United Nations headquarters

The 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ will be broadcast live in the United Nations headquarters in New York. The Consulate General of India in New York, along with community organisations, is also hosting the broadcast of the 100th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for members of the Indian-American and diaspora community in New Jersey during a special event at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

PM must break his silence on allegations raised by Satya Pal Malik: Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi must break his silence on the allegations raised by former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik regarding the Union government’s negligence that reportedly led to the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, Congress’s national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said. She said Mr. Modi, the Union government and the BJP were answerable to the families of the martyrs of the Pulwama attack, who were thinking whether their dear ones would be alive today had the government not been “apathetic and negligent”.

L-G Saxena seeks report in connection with Arvind Kejriwal’s residence renovation irregularity rowc

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena has taken cognisance of media reports on the alleged “gross irregularities” in connection with the renovation of the Delhi Chief Minister’s official residence at 6, Flag Staff House, Civil Lines, which was carried out by the Public Works Department. Earlier this week, the Delhi BJP — while citing purported documents from the Public Works Department — called for the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the amount spent on renovating his official residence.

Satwik-Chirag become first Indian men’s doubles pair to enter Badminton Asia Championships final

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty became the first Indian men’s doubles pair to enter the final of the Badminton Asia Championships after their opponents retired midway through the semi-final match, here on April 29. They face the eighth-seeded Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi, who defeated fourth seeds Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan 21-6 26-24 in the other semifinal, in the final on Sunday.

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Air Force plane carrying 246 Indians evacuated from war-torn Sudan lands in Mumbai

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An Indian Air Force aircraft with 246 Indians evacuated from war-torn Sudan landed in Mumbai on April 27.

The plane, which took off from Jeddah around 11 a.m. IST, landed here at 3.15 p.m., an official said. The passengers included at least two on wheelchairs.

“Another #OperationKaveri flight comes to Mumbai. 246 more Indians come back to the motherland,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar tweeted.

The first batch of 360 Indians arrived in New Delhi on April 26.

“Our efforts to swiftly send Indians back home from Jeddah is paying. 246 Indians will be in Mumbai soon, travelling by IAF C17 Globemaster. Happy to see them off at Jeddah airport,” tweeted Union minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan minutes before the plane left for Mumbai.

Under ‘Operation Kaveri’, India has been taking its citizens in buses from conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah in Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy’s ships.

The distance between Khartoum and Port Sudan is around 850 km and the travel time by bus varies from 12 hours to 18 hours considering the prevailing situation and whether the vehicles are operating during the day or night.

Earlier, INS Tarkash from the Indian Navy reached Port Sudan to help in the evacuation of stranded Indians, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. Announcing the latest developments regarding “Operation Kaveri” that is currently under way, Mr. Kwatra said India is “extremely grateful” to Saudi Arabia for the support that it has provided to the evacuation of its citizens so far and assured that India will do “all that it requires to be done” to help its citizens in Sudan. 

Editorial | Rescue service: On ‘Operation Kaveri’ and Sudan

“On April 25, INS Sumedha brought 278 Indian nationals. It’s the same INS Sumedha which has gone back and redocked today. Two sorties of C-130J brought in 121 and 135 passengers respectively. Yesterday on 26 th April, another batch of 297 Indians have sailed out on INS Teg and two more sorties of C-130J to evacuate 264 Indians,” said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra giving an update about the Indians and the people of Indian origin who have so far been evacuated. 

INS Tarkash is the third ship to join the evacuation which is also being supported by INS Sumedha and INS Teg. The ships are being used to ferry stranded Indians from Port Sudan to the Saudi port of Jeddah from where they are being flown to India. “The pockets of concentration of Indians are in Khartoum city and its suburbs. There are also pockets in Omdurman, Port Sudan. As soon as the fighting broke out in Khartoum, our embassy immediately alerted and reached out to as many members of the Indian community as they could,” said Mr. Kwatra. 

Foreign Secretary Kwatra said India has set up control rooms in Jeddah and Port Sudan that are coordinating with the headquarter here and said the evacuation has to deal with factors such as lack of diesel and buses on the ground. He also mentioned that 42 Indian nationals were evacuated to South Sudan. “There were evacuation requests from other nationalities also. From our side we are willing to provide all possible assistance to everybody who approaches us for such assistance,” said Mr. Kwatra explaining that such a process would have to take into account the transit country – Saudi Arabia which may require fulfilment of certain procedures to be completed. 

Also read: Explained | A quick guide to the unfolding crisis in Sudan

Mr. Kwatra praised the support from the Saudi authorities saying, “We have been working very closely with the government of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi leadership and they have been extremely helpful, supportive and cooperative in this endeavour and we are extremely grateful to them for that because the positioning of our control room in Jeddah and providing of our assets who would bring back the stranded Indians in Jeddah — whether of air force and Navy — we have had excellent support and cooperation from the Saudi authorities.“

Indian citizens who were evacuated from Sudan outside Mumbai International Airport on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
Emmanual Yogini 

Mr. Kwatra described the situation in Sudan as “highly volatile and unpredictable” and said India is in touch with both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces to ensure safety of the Indians nationals. India has been aiming to bring Indians to the “greater safety zone” as the first step and then shift them to Port Sudan before evacuating them to India via Jeddah. “Substantial number of buses are currently on their way from Khartoum city to Port Sudan. Approximately 1,700 to 2,000 people have already moved out of from the conflict zone,” he said without getting into the specificity of the numbers. Mr. Kwatra described the condition of the Sudanese capital as “volatile”. 

He assured that India is willing to help the People of Indian Origin (PIOs) in Sudan and will help them. “There are roughly 900 to 1,000 persons of Indian origin in Sudan. These are persons of Indian origin living in Sudan for over hundred years. They have deep roots in that society,” said Mr. Kwatra promising them “all assistance to them” if they so request. 

Jaishankar discusses Sudan situation with U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly

External Affairs Minister S, Jaishankar has spoken to U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and discussed the evolving situation in Sudan, as India stepped up efforts to evacuate its stranded citizens from the strife-torn African country.

Mr. Jaishankar, who arrived in Bogota in Colombia’s capital from Panama, on April 24, announced the launch of the mission ‘Operation Kaveri’ to bring back the stranded Indians from Sudan that has been witnessing fierce fighting following a power struggle between the regular army and the RSF.

“Spoke to U.K. Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly just now. Discussed the evolving situation in Sudan,” he tweeted on April 27.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on April 25 that his government has commenced a “large-scale” evacuation effort to help British nationals leave Sudan.

“The government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF flights. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, including families with children and the elderly,” Mr. Sunak tweeted.

Mr. Jaishankar took to Twitter to share images of the Indian evacuees after their arrival at the Delhi airport.

“India welcomes back its own. Operation Kaveri brings 360 Indian nationals to the homeland as first flight reaches New Delhi,” he tweeted.

“OperationKaveri takes more steps forward. Another 136 Indian Nationals have been moved to safety in Jeddah. They will come home soon,” he said in another tweet.

A video on Indians evacuated from Sudan
| Video Credit:
The Hindu Bureau

Mr. Jaishankar is on a nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, his first visit as the external affairs minister to these Latin American countries and the Caribbean.

670 Indians evacuated

India has evacuated at least 670 Indian nationals from Sudan and is looking to rescue more of its citizens from the strife-torn African nation before the end of a tenuous ceasefire between the regular army and a paramilitary force.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last 12 days that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.

India stepped up its efforts to evacuate the Indians from Sudan after a 72-hour truce was agreed between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces following intense negotiations.

(With inputs from PTI)



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