Page 36 - NIS English 16-31 July,2025

C O VER S T OR Y |
NATION | Title TileMission to save loved ones

46 Indian nurses Operation Devi Shakti

rescued from Iraq Indians reached home
amid the Afghanistan crisis

n In the year 2021, when the situation in
In June 2014, during the ISIS attacks in Iraq, 46 Indian Afghanistan turned critical due to a sudden
change in power, the world witnessed the
nurses were taken hostage by terrorists in a hospital in
June 2014 Tikrit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level chaos unfolding at Kabul airport. The Indian
government launched Operation Devi Shakti
meeting. The then Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj
to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in the
worked at every level of contact. NSA Ajit Doval himself
country.
reached Iraq. Eventually, the nurses were brought to the
city of Irbil by arranging buses. These nurses reached n PM Modi convened a high-level meeting and
Delhi on July 5, 2014. Many stranded people from Kerala issued clear instructions to ensure the safe
were also evacuated from war-torn Iraq. return of all Indians, as well as the evacuation
of Hindus and Sikhs seeking refuge. The
operation was carried out using 40 aircraft,
reflecting the scale and urgency of the mission.
Operation Sankat Mochan: n In Operation Devi Shakti, 206 Afghan

153 people rescued from Sudan citizens and 448 Indian citizens were brought
to India. 565 people, including 438 Indians,
were brought to India in early August itself.
Many of these people were first taken from
In the year 2016, about 600 Indians got trapped in Kabul to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
South Sudan, which was burning in the fire of violence.
After this, Air India's and the Air Force's C-17
July 2016 The Indian government started Operation Sankat Globemaster airlifted them to India.
Mochan to evacuate them. The then Minister of State
for External Affairs, VK Singh, himself reached the
capital, Juba, with a C-17 Globemaster. 153 people were
airlifted back during this operation. These included 2
Nepali citizens. Some people returned on their own as
soon as India’s advisory was issued, while 300 people
stayed there due to business. n The government also ensured the return
of five holy saroops of Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, which were brought back with great
reverence on a separate flight.

INDIA IS ALSO READY TO HELP THE million dollars (1,840 crore rupees) to the Maldives
WORLD IN TIMES OF CRISIS to overcome the economic crisis. The then President
With the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India Ibrahim Mohammed Saleh thanked India and Prime
provided financial assistance of 2 lakh dollars for Minister Modi for this financial assistance. There was
immediate relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction a global concern after 12 children and the coach of
to Tonga affected by the tsunami and volcanic erup- the Under-16 football team got trapped in the Tham
tion. India stood firmly with Tonga even during the Luang Nang Non, a cave in Thailand. In the world's
devastation caused by Cyclone Gita in 2018. India most risky relief and rescue operation, many coun-
also helped the Maldives in times of crisis. China tries, including Britain, France, Japan, and America,
first caught the Maldives in a debt trap and then sent their experts, but when nothing worked out, the
served notice for repayment of the loans. In such a Thai government requested the Indian government
situation, India provided financial assistance of 250 for help. The Indian government, without wasting

34 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || July 16-31, 2025