Operation Ajay – Bringing Indians Home Amidst Israel-Hamas Conflict

Gaurav Soni October 17, 2023 02:28 7094 0

Recently, India has launched 'Operation Ajay' to help "facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return."

Operation Ajay – Bringing Indians Home Amidst Israel-Hamas Conflict

Context:

Recently, India has launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to help “facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return.”

Read more on the Israel-Hamas Conflict here.

Operation Ajay: India’s Response to Escalating Israel-Hamas Conflict:

Operation Ajay Unveiled: Recently, India launched Operation Ajay to bring back Indians from Israel as the conflict escalated with Israel retaliating against Hamas’s attack that started on Saturday.
War Declared: Israel has declared war against Hamas and set up a war cabinet while Hamas said it is ready for a long-drawn conflict.
Bringing Indians Home: Operation Ajay Unveiled Amidst Escalating Tensions in Israel
Indians in Israel: The external affairs ministry reports approximately 18,000 Indians currently residing in Israel.

More About Operation Ajay: Repatriating Indians Safely from Israel

Repatriation: Operation Ajay is not technically an evacuation operation.
- It is an operation to repatriate its citizens from Israel.
Special chartered flights will bring back the Indians through operation Ajay.
- Indian Navy ships will be deployed if the need arises.
Indians in Israel who wish to return will be facilitated in this Operation Ajay.
- There are around 18,000 Indians in Israel including students, professionals and traders.

About Israel-Hamas War: Escalating Tensions and Humanitarian Concerns

Escalating Regional Tensions: Fresh tension erupted in the region, triggered by a series of bold attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend.
Casualty: On the fifth day, the Israeli military said more than 1,200 people, including 155 soldiers, had been killed in Israel while in Gaza, 950 people had been killed, including 260 children and 230 women.
- India being a strategic partner of Israel condemned the Hamas attack.
Hostages: According to reports, Hamas is holding an estimated 150 Israelis hostages.
History: Israel has imposed various levels of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

All you need to know about India Previous Evacuation Operation:

Operation Kaveri (2023): Rescue in Sudan
- It is a rescue operation launched by the Government of India to evacuate Indian citizens who are stranded in Sudan.
- It was launched on April 24, 2023 in response to the crisis in Sudan.
- The operation aims to bring back Indian citizens who are stuck in the war-torn country.
- Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- The river is sacred to the people of the region and is worshiped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (mother Kaveri)

Operation Ganga (2022)
- It was an evacuation mission by the Indian government to rescue its citizens stranded in neighboring countries during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- The operation began on February 26 and ended on March 11.
- The operation involved transporting citizens from Romania, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia to India.
- The government coordinated with Indian carriers to operate 90 evacuation flights, including 14 Indian Air Force flights.
- Around 22,500 Indian nationals returned from Ukraine to India from February 1 to March 11, 2022. The operation saw hundreds of students return home.
Operation Devi Shakti (2021): Rescue in Afghanistan
- In 2021, Operation Devi Shakti, named after the Goddess, saved hundreds of stranded Indians in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
- Indian Armed Forces helped with the evacuation.
Operation Vande Bharat (2021): Bringing Back Indians during COVID-19
- Operation Vande Bharat, started in May 2020, aimed to bring home over 1.83 crore Indians stuck abroad due to the pandemic.
- It involved many flights and ran through 2021.
Operation Samudra Setu (2021): Naval Rescue during Pandemic
- In 2021, Operation Samudra Setu involved Indian Naval ships to bring back over 3,000 Indian citizens stranded overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- This operation spanned 55 days and covered over 23,000 km by sea.
Operation Raahat (2015): Evacuation from Yemen Conflict
- Operation Raahat, in 2015, evacuated nearly 5,600 Indians stuck in Yemen amid a conflict.
- The evacuation began at the port of Aden and continued by air from Sana’a.
Operation Maitri (2015): Nepal Earthquake Relief
- In 2015, Operation Maitri was a joint relief and rescue operation by India and the armed forces after the Nepal earthquake.
- Over 5,000 Indians and 170 foreign nationals were brought back.
Operation Safe Homecoming (2011): Evacuation during Libyan Civil War
- In 2011, Operation Safe Homecoming rescued 15,400 Indians during the Libyan civil war using special flights and sea routes, with support from the Indian Navy.
Operation Sukoon (2006): Evacuation during Israel-Lebanon Conflict
- Operation Sukoon, known as the ‘Beirut Sealift,’ in 2006, evacuated over 2,000 nationals, including Nepalese and Sri Lankans, during the Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Kuwait Airlift (1990): Massive Rescue Operation during Iraqi Invasion
- In 1990, the Kuwait Airlift was the second-largest Indian rescue operation after Vande Bharat.
- It rescued 1,75,000 people during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Conclusion:

Operation Ajay serves as a blueprint for efficient and responsive evacuation operations, ensuring the protection of lives in challenging times. Collaborative efforts, preparedness, and swift actions can make a significant difference in the face of unforeseen circumstances, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive contingency planning and international cooperation.