Indian authorities are in talks with several airlines on increasing the number of flights from Ukraine to facilitate the return of Indians who want to leave the eastern European nation amid tensions over a Russian troop build-up.
Discussions are underway between the external affairs and civil aviation ministries and several airlines on increasing flights between India and Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Control rooms were established in the Indian embassy in Kyiv and in the external affairs ministry in New Delhi to respond to queries of Indian nationals in Ukraine and their families in India. The embassy has also set up a 24-hour helpline.
The embassy in Kyiv acknowledged, in a brief statement on Wednesday, it had received “several appeals about non-availability of flights” to India, and advised students not to panic “but book the earliest available and convenient flights”. “To meet the additional demand, more flights are being planned in the near future, including from Ukraine International Airlines, Air India, etc. Details on the same would be shared by embassy as and when confirmed,” the statement added.
The embassy also said it was in touch with Ukrainian authorities regarding the “appropriate regularisation of [the] education process” in view of the concerns of Indian students about the continuation of their classes.
{{/usCountry}}The embassy also said it was in touch with Ukrainian authorities regarding the “appropriate regularisation of [the] education process” in view of the concerns of Indian students about the continuation of their classes.
{{/usCountry}}The development came a day after the Indian embassy in Kyiv asked Indians in Ukraine, especially students, to consider leaving and to avoid non-essential travel within the country amid persisting fears of an invasion.
“We are aware that many Indian students are currently in Ukraine, and their families are anxious about them, particularly about getting flights to India,” one of the people cited above said.
Currently, Ukraine International Airlines operates flights on the Kyiv-Delhi route under an air bubble arrangement. The other options, though expensive, are flights transiting through Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Almaty and Frankfurt. They are operated by Air Arabia, FlyDubai and Qatar Airways.
There are more than 20,000 Indians in Ukraine, including professionals, businessmen and some 18,000 students. Some students have expressed concern about all flights to India being fully booked till next week and an increase in air fares because of the prevailing situation in Ukraine.
Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called on the government to facilitate the evacuation of Indians, especially students, from Ukraine.
“Indian students are facing difficulties in leaving the country following the Indian government’s advisory to return to India, temporarily. Flights booked are being cancelled while many others are unable to afford tickets back home as the air tickets prices are soaring,” she tweeted.
The advisory issued by the Indian embassy in Kyiv on Tuesday said: “In view of the uncertainties of the current situation in Ukraine, Indian nationals in Ukraine, particularly students whose stay is not essential, may consider leaving temporarily.”
It called on Indians to keep the embassy informed about the “status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the embassy to reach them when required”. The people cited above said there are currently no plans to evacuate Indians from Ukraine or to reduce the country’s diplomatic presence in Kyiv.
The US has said Russia has amassed over 130,000 troops near the border with Ukraine, and American officials have repeatedly said in recent days that an invasion could happen as early as this week.
Russia had said on Tuesday some of its troops were returning to their bases after completing drills but the move was greeted with scepticism by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US, which said such claims would need to be verified.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that it remains to be seen whether there has been a Russian withdrawal. “So far, we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground. On the contrary it appears that Russia continues their military build-up,” he said.
India has so far refrained from criticising Russia’s actions along the border with Ukraine in view of the close strategic relations between New Delhi and Moscow. It has pushed for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Ukraine through sustained diplomatic efforts.