Afghanistan and India’s Evacuation Efforts

Spotlight 27 (Aug): THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN AND INDIA’S EVACUATION EFFORTS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chP8fIZuAPo

INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY

• GS-2: India and its neighbourhood.
• GS-2: Impact of politics of other countries on India

Afghanistan and India’s Evacuation Efforts

Context: External affairs minister S Jaishankar called its operation to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Afghanistan as ‘Operation Devi Shakti’ and saluted the efforts of Indian Air Force and Air India.

The latest developments in Afghanistan:

• Amid a massive evacuation effort by western troops, a suspected suicide bomb exploded outside Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least 13 people including children, civilians and US service members.
• Thousands of people have been gathering outside the Kabul airport in recent days with western troops racing to evacuate foreigners and Afghans to get out of the war-torn country by an Aug 31 deadline after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

About India’s evacuation effort:

• India has so far evacuated nearly 620 people, including 500 of its nationals, on flights from Kabul, Dushanbe and Doha. 
• Nearly 200 people – including diplomats, officials and security personnel posted at the Indian embassy and some Indian nationals – were flown out of Kabul within two days of the Taliban marching into the Afghan capital on August 15.
• The evacuation flights have involved the C-130 and C-17 aircraft of the IAF and Air India’s aircraft. However, flights by military aircraft from the Afghan capital to India have had to take longer routes through Iranian airspace in order to avoid flying over Pakistan.
• India is carrying out the evacuation missions in coordination with the US and several other countries.

India’s priorities in the circumstances:

• India’s priorities in the Afghan crisis and evacuation effort have been as follow:
• Evacuation of Indian nationals, safety of our diplomatic personnel.
• Assistance to Afghan nationals in distress.
• Providing leadership – Neighbourhood First.
• International coordination and humanitarian efforts.
•  UNSC Special Session chaired by India on Afghanistan.
• Upcoming UNHRC Session in Geneva.
•  UN 1988 Sanctions Committee chaired by India.

Can you answer this question now?

Discuss the role India played in evacuating the Indians in Afghanistan amidst the crisis.