Indians in Kabul, Afghanistan are a worried lot. But the respite is on the way as the MEA ( Ministry of External Affairs) evacuation plan to fly out India creates an MEA Special Help Desk and further gets US support which controls the Airports in Afghnistan now. India has already begun its evacuation process and soon Indians will be airlifted says Indian Minister S Jaishankar.
MEA Minister S Jaishankar had a chat with the US secretary of state Antony Blinken from New York today to seek American assistance in getting Indians evacuated from Kabul and it seems to have fructified.
After Turkey-backed off from manning the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the airport is being technically manned by the US forces with air traffic control and perimeter under American security cover.
India gets US support to evacuate its citizens from troubled Afghanistan
As India has begun the evacuation process in Afghanistan already, the second batch of its nationals from Kabul, the US secretary of state assured Jaishankar of full support in future evacuations through civilian flights.
Jaishankar will today speak to UNSC members to evolve a broader consensus on the Afghanistan issue as well as meet UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, later in the day on the same burning issue. The Indian EAM will be chairing UNSC sessions on terrorism and peacekeeping for two days.
MEA, Minister Jaishankar has promised all support for stranded Indians in Afghanistan, Kabul
“Our priorities are Indians working in Afghanistan, Indians who went to Afghanistan despite our advisory, Indians who were employed by US and European contractors to work in Afghanistan, the civilian population of Indian origin and Afghan friends with traditional links with our country …. E-visas will be issued to those who don’t have documents to travel on application,” said an official.
Given the chaos in Kabul, EAM Jaishankar is working with the Americans to get the HKI airport ready to receive civilian flights so that Indians and Afghan friends with traditional links are evacuated from the strife-torn nation.
MEA Special Helpdesk for Indians Stranded in Afghanistan, Kabul
Minister Jaishankar tweeted: Given the Kabul situation, important we have accurate information about Indians there. Urge that this be provided by all concerned to the MEA Special Afghanistan Cell at: Phone number: +919717785379 Email: MEAHelpdeskIndia@gmail.com
Close to 120 Indians, who were stranded in several parts of Afghanistan, will be brought back to India in a day or two on an Indian Air Force aircraft, according to top government sources.
On Monday evening, an Indian Air Force evacuation flight returned to India from Kabul with personnel and equipment. The aircraft returned with 46 personnel and some equipment.
The aircraft first landed in Tajikistan in the morning due to chaos at the Kabul airport. It could land in Kabul only after the American security forces controlled the crowds.
As per sources, there are around 500 Indian officials and security staff stuck in Afghanistan.
