Evacuated over 260 Indians from Afghanistan: MEA

16:43 August 27

New Delhi:Briefing on India's evacuation mission amid the ongoing deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said it has evacuated over 550 people, of which 260 were Indians.

Addressing a weekly media briefing here on Friday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, We have evacuated over 550 people in 6 separate flights, either from Kabul or Dushanbe. Of these, over 260 were Indians."

He said that the government also facilitated the evacuation of Indian nationals through other agencies and that it is in constant touch with various countries, like the US, Tajikistan for the evacuation process. 

As part of the evacuation plan, MEA said that India was able to bring out some Afghan nationals as well as nationals from other countries. 

Among them were Sikhs and Hindus too. The MEA spokesperson said, "Primarily, our focus will be on Indian nationals, but we'll also stand by Afghans who stood by us".

Bagchi further said that the overall assessment is that the vast majority of Indians who wish to return have been evacuated. 

Some more are likely to be in Afghanistan, he said, while adding that he won't have the exact number for that.

India's decision to immediately evacuate the diplomatic staff and personnel from its mission from Kabul and the Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan came at a time Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. With the Taliban taking over after two decades, the world is witnessing the massive tragedy unfold in the war-ravaged nation.

Earlier, before Indian planned to evacuate its diplomatic personnel, the Taliban did not want India to evacuate the embassy in Kabul, requesting it to retain its diplomatic position in Afghanistan, vowing to ensure the mission’s safety. 

The information request was made by the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai.

The Taliban did not want India to evacuate the embassy in Kabul, requesting it to retain its diplomatic position in Afghanistan, vowing to ensure the mission’s safety. 

After reviewing the message, India decided that it should not be accepted and that the evacuation of the diplomats should proceed as planned. 

Meanwhile, briefing the floor leaders of the political parties, the External Affairs Minister on Thursday said that evacuating Indian nationals from Afghanistan is the government's top priority.

He apprised them of the critical situation in Afghanistan and reaffirmed that India is trying to evacuate as many as Indian citizens stranded in the war-torn country.

The External affairs minister reiterated to the Parliamentarians of the political parties that the Taliban did not live up to the commitment it did in Doha.

The Foreign minister said 15,000 requests have been received so far under MEA's 24*7 special Afghanistan cell.

India has named the evacuation mission from Afghanistan amid the Afghanistan crisis as 'Operation Devi Shakti'.

During the briefing today, the MEA spokesperson also pointed out that the situation on the ground is uncertain (in Afghanistan) and his primary concern is the security & safety of people. 

"Currently, there is no clarity about any entity forming a govt in Kabul. I think we are jumping the gun regarding recognition," he said

Maintaining a 'wait and watch policy, India has been closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan.