Rajan Kushwaha, a law student and social activist, says the Modi regime has earned people’s love & respect by evacuating Indians from strife-torn areas. His views:
Since 2014, the Modi government has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the safety and well-being of Indian citizens who were stranded abroad during a state of crisis. It braved wars, natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and has successfully executed complex evacuation operations.
If I could list them, as many as 12 such operations have been taken up successfully – the first one being the daring evacuation of over 45 nurses from the clutches of ISIS from the -torn Iraq region in 2014. That was just the beginning and similar operations have not only caught the eyes of many world superpowers but also brought a sense of relief amongst Indians who are working abroad, often in areas prone to an armed conflict.
I could count out more such successful missions including Operation Sankat Mochan (2016 Sudan), evacuation of CRPF troops from Libya (2019), Operation Samudra Setu & Vande Bharat (2020 Covid crisis), Operation Dev Shakti (2021 Afghanistan), Operation Ganga (2022 Ukraine) Operation Kaveri (2023 Sudan) and the latest being the Operation Sindhu which is still going on to evacuate students and Indians from the war hit Iran. In several of these rescue operations, not only Indians but citizens of our neighbouring countries were also evacuated.
The fresh operation not only brought relief to the family members of those brought back from Iran but has also once again proved that India remains a leader in providing unwavering support to its nationals during the time of need and also bringing applause from around the world. Analysts have also reckoned that India’s approach to foreign policy over the past 11 years has not only been marked by diplomacy and dialogue, but also by its commitment and decisive action when the safety of its citizens abroad was at stake.
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As an Indian, all I could perceive is that our government is committed to the safety of its nationals, as evident by the rescue operations which are initiated without giving a second thought and irrespective of the situations in the countries from where our nationals have to be rescued and brought back safely.
The present government has institutionalised lessons learned from previous experiences and has improved its diplomatic and military capabilities with an emphasis on coordination. India’s global image has also improved dramatically in the past decade and I could well cite an example as to how nationals of other countries moved out safely from the war hit Ukraine simply by boasting an Indian flag.
The Modi government has always prioritised bringing Indians home safely. This prompt action reflects a larger philosophy that the life of every Indian is valuable, irrespective of the nature of the situation in which they are stranded. During the 12 rescue missions carried out in 11 years of seva, the Modi government used all available assets and diplomatic channels to ensure that every Indian national is protected from harm.
In times of conflict, crisis or calamity, the government has acted with speed, compassion and precision. Relief and evacuation efforts have become defining examples of the “nation first” policy. Whether it was a pandemic, political upheaval or natural disaster, India brought its people home safely and swiftly.
As told to Rajat Rai
