Latest news with #KirtiVardhanSingh
United News of India
a day ago
- Politics
- United News of India
MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh to visit Mozambique and Zimbabwe
New Delhi, June 20 (UNI) Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will pay an official visit to Mozambique and Zimbabwe, both in southeastern Africa, from June 21-28. In Mozambique, MoS will represent India at the celebrations marking the 50 years of Independence of Mozambique on June 25. As Mozambique celebrates 50 years of its independence, India and Mozambique will also commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations. MoS is expected to call on President Daniel Francisco Chapo. MoS will hold bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister of Mozambique with the objective of furthering bilateral relations between the two countries. MoS will interact with the members of Indian diaspora in Maputo. Mozambique has a vibrant Indian community which numbers around 25,000, a statement said. MoS will, thereafter, visit Zimbabwe where he will call on the top leadership of the country. He is also expected to meet several Ministers and other functionaries of the Government of Zimbabwe. Thereafter, he will travel to KAZA (Kavango Zambezi) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), Victoria Falls city to engage on matters related to Conservation, Wildlife Protection Management and Climate Change. MoS will also interact with the member of Indian diaspora in Zimbabwe. MoS' visit to Mozambique and Zimbabwe is expected to further strengthen India's strong bilateral relations with these countries. UNI RN
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Amid escalating conflict, India to extend Op Sindhu to Israel as well
Junior external affairs minister Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomes first group of Indian students evacuated from Iran as part of Op Sindhu Thursday NEW DELHI: As tensions escalated further between Israel and Iran, the Indian government said Thursday it had decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave. Their travel from Israel will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India, said the government. "In view of the above, the embassy of India in Tel Aviv would be making arrangements for the evacuation of Indians," said the govt in a statement, requesting Indian nationals to register themselves with the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv. India had on Wednesday launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. It had also asked Indian nationals to leave capital Tehran. With Israeli cities like Tel Aviv under attack from Iranian strikes, the govt felt the need to evacuate Indians from Israel too. There are 38,000 Indian nationals living in Israel currently. According to the MEA, these are mostly caregivers - employed by Israeli elders to take care of them - diamond traders, workers employed in construction and agriculture sectors, IT professionals, and students. "Govt of India accords the highest priority to safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. Govt will continue to monitor the situation closely. The Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance," the govt statement read. Meanwhile, a special flight carrying 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University in Iran arrived in Delhi Thursday from Yerevan. Minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received the evacuees at IGI airport. He said govt has received evacuation requests from 350 Indians in Iran. "We, on our part, are making every effort to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from Iran. It is a major responsibility, and we are committed to fulfilling it. We have more planes on standby," Singh told mediapersons.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Indian students in Iran recall horror as Israel fires missiles: ‘Bombs in our neighbourhood'
The Indian government under 'Operation Sindhu' facilitated the return of 110 students from Iran, amid the country's conflict with Israel on Thursday. After being evacuated from the war-torn region, students recalled the fear and destruction that they witnessed. 'We saw missiles in the sky and heard bombs in our neighbourhood. We were petrified,' MBBS student Mir Khalif told PTI after arriving at Delhi airport on Thursday. Mir Khalif described the experience in Iran as a nightmare and thanked the Indian government for bringing them back home. Also Read: Iran's Fattah-1 hits Israel: All you need to know about the hypersonic missile "We saw missiles and heard bombings. It was a war zone. Our building shook during the attacks. I hope no student has to face what we did," he said. "There are students still stuck in Iran. They are being relocated to safer places. We hope they will also be airlifted to India soon," he added. The students, including 90 from Jammu and Kashmir, were moved from Tehran to Armenia earlier this week by the Indian embassy as explosions and air strikes rocked Iranian cities. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received the students at the airport and said in a post on X, 'Warmly welcomed home the first group of 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran as part of Operation Sindhu, reaffirming India's steadfast commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad.' Another student who was evacuated, Varta, who hailed from Kashmir, said 'We were the first ones to be evacuated from Iran. The situation was quite critical. We were terrified. We thank the Indian government and the Indian Embassy, which worked very fast and swiftly to bring us here.' Also Read: What is Iran's Arak heavy water reactor and why Israel attacked it? Explained "Our neighbourhood was attacked. When the Indian government came to our doorstep, it felt like home," she added. Ali Akbar, a student from Delhi, said the destruction was visible everywhere and that Tehran was 'in ruins.' "We saw a missile and a drone fall from the sky while travelling in a bus. Tehran is in ruins. The images on the news are real, the situation is very bad," he said. Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh confirmed that further evacuation efforts were scheduled under Operation Sindhu as well, and thanked the governments of Turkmenistan and Armenia for their help. "We have planes ready. We will be sending another plane today. We are evacuating some more people from Turkmenistan. Our missions have opened 24-hour helplines for any request for evacuation. As the situation evolves, we will be sending more planes to evacuate Indian nationals," he said. Haider Ali, father of MBBS student Maaz Haider, told PTI, "We are happy and grateful, but our hearts are still heavy knowing that many students are still stuck in Tehran. We urge the government to bring them back too." Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, whose son studied in Urmia, said, "We were under constant stress. The students were shifted to Armenia and looked after well. We thank the government for this."
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Indian evacuees from Iran flag issues with J&K buses; CM Abdullah responds
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced that Indian students returning from Iran under 'Operation Sindhu' would be transported via deluxe buses, after several evacuees raised concerns about the condition of the buses arranged for their onward journey to Union territory. Speaking to news agency ANI, one student said, 'The buses that have been provided are in such bad condition that even animals will not travel in them. We can't go in such buses, and our safety could have been compromised. We are here (in Delhi) and for that we are thankful to the central government as they have evacuated us smoothly, we faced no problem till here, but we are having a problem here now...' Responding to the complaints, the Chief Minister's Office posted on X: 'The Chief Minister has taken note of the request of the students evacuated from Iran regarding the quality of buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J&K.' . On Thursday morning, Iran and Israel exchanged fresh missile strikes as the conflict entered its seventh day. The group of 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Urmia, Iran, under 'Operation Sindhu' arrived in Delhi earlier on Thursday and expressed gratitude to the Indian government. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the first group at the airport. One of the returning students said Indian authorities had 'done a good job' and ensured a smooth evacuation. He noted that conditions in Iran, particularly in Tehran, were deteriorating rapidly. . They reported no issues during the evacuation and said the embassy had made timely arrangements for their departure. To assist those still in Iran, the Indian Embassy established 24x7 control rooms and emergency helpline numbers. According to a Times of India report, around 10,000 Indian nationals or people of Indian origin are currently in Iran, including approximately 6,000 students.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
‘Tehran has been destroyed': Indian students evacuated from Iran recall ordeal following Israeli raids
While talking to media upon their return, several students recalled the ordeal that they experienced after Israel launched military operation against Iran read more A fire at Tehran's Shahran oil depot after an Israeli attack. Explosions were also been reported in Jerusalem and Tel Avivin the early hours of Sunday after Iran launched another round of retaliatory strikes. Reuters Indian students evacuated from conflict -hit Iran have shared a chilling account of the deepening crisis in the Shi'ite country, with many recalling how Israeli strikes caused devastation there. The government of PM Narendra Modi, under Operation Sindhu, brought back 110 Indian students from Iran early Thursday morning (June 19). First, they were sent to Armenia and then brought to New Delhi via a repatriation flight. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the evacuation efforts were undergoing and more such flights were scheduled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have planes ready. We will be sending another plane today. We are evacuating some more people from Turkmenistan. Our missions have opened 24-hour lines for any request for evacuation," said Singh. Students share ordeal While talking to media upon their return, several students recalled the ordeal that they experienced after Israel launched a military operation against Iran. 'We were terrified. We thank the Indian government and the Indian embassy who worked very fast and swiftly to bring us here," Varta, a medical student from Kashmir, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 'When the Indian government came to our doorstep, it felt like home," she added. Mir Khalif, another student who was evacuated, said, 'We could see missiles. There was a war going on. Our neighbourhood was bombed. We were very afraid of the situation. I hope we never see those days again." He expressed hope that other students still stuck in Iran would also be evacuated soon. Delhi-based student Ali Akbar said, 'While travelling in a bus, we saw a missile and a drone falling. The situation shown in the news is correct. It is extremely bad. Tehran has been destroyed." Parents 'anxious' Meanwhile, outside the Delhi airport, anxious parents were waiting to embrace their kids. Haider Ali, father of 21-year-old MBBS student Maaz Haider, expressed relief. 'We are really happy. The students have been brought back home safely. But we are sad that students still in Tehran have not been rescued," he said. Similarly, Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr, whose son studies in Urmia, noted the stress his family endured. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Everything was fine, but recently the situation deteriorated. The government evacuated students to Armenia and kept them in good hotels. We are thankful."
