Over 3,000 people were evacuated from strife-torn Yemen on Monday by India which also received requests for assistance from 26 countries, including the US and France. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the coordinated efforts by various ministries, and especially lauded his colleagues Sushma Swaraj and VK Singh.
VK Singh has said that over 3,000 Indian nationals have been brought back home from strife-hit Yemen till now. "We are trying our best to evacuate as many people as possible at the earliest. After today's movement with the ships almost 3000+ will be home," Singh, who has been overseeing the evacuation in Yemen, said.
"Our aim is that whoever needs our help should be given the help. It is a part of our national philosophy that we must assist anybody who needs assistance," he added. He pointed out that the evacuation process will continue till the government is convinced that everyone who wants to leave has been rescued.
"My assessment is that out of all those who want to leave Yemen, I don't think more than 200-300 are left," he added.
India's external affairs ministry's spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted that there has been a surge in evacuation efforts. The people were evacuated by Air India and the Indian Navy.
Requests for assistance growing
"Requests for Indian assistance in evacuation from Yemen keeps growing. On last count 26 requests received," Akbaruddin said in another tweet. He said that while one flight carrying Indians was expected to land in Mumbai and another at Kochi late in the night.
In a tweet earlier in the day, Akbaruddin had said evacuation by Air India from Yemen's capital Sana'a was the highest so far.
"Exceeding previous efforts. Evacuation by Air India today from Sana'a was highest thus far. 574 persons head from Yemen to Djibouti."
The 26 countries that India has received request for assistance in evacuation of their citizens include the US, Bangladesh, France, Germany, and Sri Lanka.
