'It all depends on...': MEA shares update on evacuation of Indians stranded in Sudan

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said the situation in Sudan, where war has broken out, continued to be very tense and that New Delhi was focusing on ensuring the safety of the Indian nationals. "The situation on the ground continues to be very tense. Our focus is on ensuring the safety of the individuals. We are in touch with people through different channels," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during a weekly press briefing on Thursday.

About 3,000 Indians reside in Sudan, where fighting erupted on Sunday between the army and paramilitary forces. At least 31 Indian nationals from Karnataka are stuck in the conflict-hit country. Earlier this week, former chief minister Siddaramaiah requested External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to evacuate them.

Today, Bagchi said the Embassy of India in Khartoum was open, functioning, and rendering all services with officials working from separate locations. "Nobody is inside the Embassy building right now," he said, adding that EAM Jaishankar is in New York and will be meeting with the UN General Secretary on the Sudan crisis.

When asked about the evacuation of the Indian nationals, the MEA spokesperson said: "We are in readiness. We are in close touch with our teams on the ground but it all depends on how long there is a ceasefire in fighting and safe locations available for evacuation."  

The MEA on Monday set up a control room to provide information and assistance. The coordinates of the Control Room: Phone: 1800 11 8797 (toll-free), +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905, Mobile: +91 9968291988.

Earlier this week, Karnataka's disaster management authority commissioner Manoj Rajan said that as many as 31 people belonging to Hakki-Pikki tribal community from Karnataka were stranded in Sudan. 

Out of about 4,000 Indians in Sudan, the settled Indian community in Sudan is now about 1,200, which is there for about 150 years. Other expatriate Indian community members are working as professionals in key sectors of the Sudanese economy. There are a few Indians working in the UN Missions and other international organisations.

India is coordinating closely with various countries, including the US, the UK, and Saudi Arabia, to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in violence-hit Sudan, government sources told the news agency PTI. They said the ground situation in Sudan was "very tense" and the movement of people was "very risky" at this stage. 

EAM Jaishankar has already spoken to his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the situation in Sudan and they assured him of practical support on the ground for the safety of the Indians in that country. The Sudanese Army and a rival paramilitary force agreed to a 24-hour cease-fire on Tuesday.

(With inputs from PTI)