PM Modi asks officials to ready contingency evacuation plan for Indians in Sudan

In the high-level meeting to review the situation of Indians in strife-torn Sudan, PM Modi on Friday gave three instructions to follow for the officials — remain vigilant, closely monitor the developments and continuously evaluate the safety of the Indian nationals in Sudan while extending all possible assistance to them.

In the virtual meeting attended by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, Ambassador of India to Sudan B S Mubarak along with the envoys to Egypt and Riyadh, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs), MEA, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, PM Modi took a first-hand report of the on-ground situation with a specific focus on the safety of the 3,000 Indians present in Sudan.

PM Modi expressed his condolences on the death of an Indian, 48-year-old- Albert Augustine, who was killed in a bullet as he was caught amid a clash.

According to a statement released from the PMO, PM Modi asked the officials to prepare for contingency evacuation plans, accounting for the rapidly shifting security landscape and the viability of various options.

Several members of Karnataka’s Hakki Pikki tribal community are stuck in Sudan and ahead of the Karnataka election, the issue has turned into a political one with foreign minister Jaishankar snubbing former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah for a tweet on Karnataka people stuck in Sudan. The Hakki Pikkis are bird catchers.

Jaishankar met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and discussed the developments in Sudan on Thursday.