New Delhi: An Indian Air Force (IAF) flight with 119 Indians and 27 foreigners landed at Hindon air base from Romanian capital Bucharest on Thursday morning, sources said.
“These Indians and foreigners were stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive that began on February 24,” they mentioned.
This was the 17th flight that the IAF has operated to evacuate people stranded in Ukraine.
“India is winding up Operation Ganga as the evacuation of almost all the stranded Indians in Ukraine would be completed by Thursday,” the people said, adding the Indian mission will still continue to look for people who may have stayed back in some isolated pockets.
India has been evacuating its citizens from war-torn Ukraine’s neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24.
Also read: Ukraine: Last Batch of Indians To Be Flown Back Home on Thursday
“The IAF flight- which was operated on a C-17 military transport aircraft- landed in Delhi around 5:40 am on Thursday,” sources said.
“Minister of state for external affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh received the Indians and foreigners at the air base,” they said.
The Indian embassy in Romania tweeted, “Nearly 8,000 Indians evacuated through Romania. The last special flight will depart from Bucharest today. We express our gratitude to government and people of Romania for their help. Long live India-Romania friendship!”
Nearly 8000 Indians evacuated through Romania. The last special flight will depart from Bucharest today. We express our gratitude to government and people of Romania for their help. Long live India-Romania friendship! @NicolaeCiuca
@BogdanAurescu
@DrSJaishankar
@MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/jtIOu6zA1i— India in Romania (@eoiromania) March 9, 2022
The people said that the mortal remains of an Indian who died of natural causes are being brought back.
Asked about reports that some Indians have submitted applications volunteering to join the International Legion created to fight Russian forces in Ukraine, the people only referred to the advisory by the Indian embassy in Kyiv asking the Indian nationals to leave that country immediately.
“It (advisory) should be applicable to anybody,” said one of the persons.
The people also said that India would like its embassy in Ukraine to function as long as possible, but added that most of its officials may be based in the office set up in Lviv.
(With PTI inputs)