New Delhi: External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday said Indian students were “positively discouraged” by universities in Ukraine from leaving, adding that many of them also received “conflicting advice” regarding safety.
In his statement in parliament on the situation in the war-torn country, he said that 22,500 Indian citizens have returned safely from Ukraine.
He said that India was prepared in advance of the actual conflict situation, and that an advisory was issued on February 15, in which Indians in Ukraine whose stay isn’t essential were asked to leave the country temporarily.” It also advised Indians not to travel to Ukraine or undertake non-essential movements within Ukraine,” the minister said.
ADVISORY FOR INDIAN NATIONALS IN UKRAINE.@MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @PIB_India @DDNewslive @IndiainUkraine @IndianDiplomacy @OIA_MEA pic.twitter.com/LZezMhB8pF
— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) February 15, 2022
“Members will appreciate that such advisories are extremely unusual and their very issue is itself a serious caution,” he said.
“Despite our efforts, however, a large majority of students elected to continue staying in Ukraine. We must understand the predicament in this regard. There was a natural reluctance to leave the educational institutions and affect the studies. Some universities actively discouraged and showed reluctance to offer online courses. Many of them received conflicting advice regarding safety,” Jaishankar said.
He said that in the period leading to February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the political signals were confusing as well.
“Many of them received conflicting advice regarding safety. The challenges of travel back may have also been a factor. In the period leading to 24 February, the political signals were confusing as well. Public urgings not to be taken in by alarmism and reports of force withdrawals created a confusing picture. The net result was that about 18,000 Indian citizens were caught in the midst of conflict when it began,” he said.
The minister said that students did what they thought was right under the circumstances.
He said the Indian embassy in Ukraine had started a registration drive for Indian nationals in January and under which 20,000 registered.
The minister said that 4,000 students left Ukraine through direct and indirect flights.
“Students hail from 35 states/UTs of India with over 1000 students each from Kerala, UP, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajasthan,” Jaishankar added. More than half the Indian students were in universities in the eastern part of Ukraine, which borders Russia and has witnessed the most intense fighting.
He said that India also rescued 147 foreign nationals of 18 countries, including Nepal and Bangladesh, from Ukraine.
The minister said that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has major economic implications and the same can be seen in the rising prices of energy and commodities.
“The Ukraine conflict has major economic implications. Its impact on energy and commodity prices is already visible. The disruption of global supply chain is expected to be significant. India has substantial dealing with both Russia and Ukraine,” Jaishankar said.
“The root causes (of conflict) are the complex going-around range of issues. We launched the most challenging evacuation exercises amid an ongoing conflict,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)