New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hailed India’s rescue mission ‘Operation Ajay’ as 197 passengers boarded the third flight back from Israel on Saturday. Taking to X, EAM Jaishankar posted a video of the passengers on board the flight and wrote, “Operation Ajay moves forward. 197 more passengers are coming back to India.”
The Indian government launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of stranded citizens back home amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The first Air India-operated flight from Tel Aviv, carrying more than 200 people, landed in Delhi on Friday morning. Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh received the passengers.
Taking to X, the minister wrote, “Received the second batch of Indians from Israel. Heartening to note that they are very appreciative of GoI's swift response #OperationAjay and @MEAIndia for smooth coordination.”
Soon after the first flight arrived in India, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomed the evacuees. "...Our government will never leave any Indian behind. Our government, our Prime Minister is determined to protect them and bring them back home safely. We are grateful to EAM Dr S Jaishankar, the team at the External Affairs Ministry, the flight crew of this Air India flight for making this possible, for bringing our children back home safely and soundly and back home to their loved ones..." he said.
The second batch of 235 Indians took the second flight back that reached the national capital on Saturday morning.
The chartered flight AI 140 had 235 Indians and out of them, 33 people were from Kerala, the Kerala government said.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the second flight with 235 passengers reached Delhi on Saturday. He also shared the pictures of the passengers on his social media handle.