FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS

The government’s urgent steps to bring back Indian nationals are overtaken by tragedy

- GEETA MOHAN

Russia’s assault on Ukraine has led to a significant logistical and diplomatic chall­enge for the Modi administration—the evacuation of Indian nationals, particularly students, from the war­torn country. Some 20,000 Indians were in the country at the start of the crisis, most of them studying med­icine in different parts of Ukraine.

On January 25, the Indian embas­sy in Kyiv, in a Facebook post, asked Indian nationals to register themselves online by January 31. Its first advisory, on February 15, asked Indians whose stay “is not essential” to leave the coun­ try in view of the “uncertainties” of the situation in Ukraine. On February 16, the Indian government lifted the cap on passengers placed in the wake of Covid­19. On February 18, Air India announced three additional flights for the 22nd, 24th and 26th.