### Summary: #### Ukraine Conflict and Evacuation of Indian Students More than 650 Indian students were evacuated from Sumy, Ukraine, amidst heavy shelling and intense battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The evacuation process faced challenges due to the ongoing war, with the first attempt failing on March 7. Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were in constant communication with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to ensure the safe evacuation. Covaxin, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine, has been cleared for clinical trials in adults by the US FDA, aiming to bring the vaccine to the US and Canada for all age groups. Covaxin has also been approved for emergency use in 13 countries. #### Evacuation Efforts and Success Efforts to secure the safe exit of students continued at the highest levels, with Prime Minister Modi engaging with Russian and Ukrainian leaders. The Defense Ministry was involved in the evacuation process, and arrangements were made on both sides of the Ukrainian and Russian borders. The evacuation was successfully carried out, and all Indian students from Sumy were moved to Poltava before boarding special flights to return to India. Operation Ganga, aimed at rescuing Indian citizens from neighboring countries of Ukraine, brought back around 18,000 Indians via special flights. The evacuation operations have been a challenging yet successful endeavor for India. #### Challenges Faced and Gratitude Expressed Challenges arose with the operation, including difficulties in hiring buses in the war-torn region and concerns about safe passage. The Indian students expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Modi, the Indian World Forum, the people and government of Ukraine, the Government of India, RedCross, and the Embassy of India in Kyiv for their contributions to the success of Operation Ganga. The evacuation process showcased India's commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens in crisis situations.

India This Week ~ March 11, 2022 - Flipbook by Fleepit