- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The Indian authorities will continue to fly out more Indians from the Middle-Eastern nation in subsequent days.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA continued to evacuate its nationals stranded in Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas under its ‘Operation Ajay’ which was launched earlier this week.
After 212 Indians reached New Delhi in a chartered flight and were received by federal minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, 235 people were brought back home by the Narendra Modi government on Saturday (14) in the second batch. A flight carrying them took off from the Ben Gurion airport on Friday (12) night to reach New Delhi.
Representatives of governments of various states of India were present at the airport in Delhi to receive the latest batch of Indian nationals. Indian minister of state for external affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh was also present at the stadium and greeted the repatriates.
The Indian nationals expressed gratitude and thanked the Modi government, prime minister Modi and external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who announced the launch of ‘Operation Ajay’ on Wednesday (11).
#WATCH | Chants of 'Vande Mataram' by passengers on the second flight carrying 235 Indian nationals from Israel. The flight landed at Delhi airport today
(Video Source: Passenger) pic.twitter.com/gAf8dkRocN
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2023
They were heard chanting ‘Vande Mataram’ (Salute Motherland) as their flight landed in New Delhi.
Singh told Asian News International that the ‘Operation Ajay’ will continue, saying this is the second phase and they are continuing to facilitate those who are willing to come back to India.
India has urged its nationals stranded in Israel to register their names with the embassy in that country to return home. They were being catered to on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. The government is bearing the cost of their return.
The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights.#OperationAjay @MEAIndia
— India in Israel (@indemtel) October 13, 2023
The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv said in a post on X on Thursday, “The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights.”
Jaishankar also tweeted about the return of the second batch of Indians, saying,”#OperationAjay Flight #2 carrying 235 Indian nationals takes off from Tel Aviv.”
Flight #2 carrying 235 Indian nationals takes off from Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/avrMHAJrT4
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 13, 2023
There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living and working in Israel and they include caregivers and students, information technology professionals, among others.
