New Delhi, February 28: Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the biggest concern for the Government of India is the evacuation of Indians. The Indian government has launched a mission to airlift stranded Indians in Ukraine. It has been named 'Operation Ganga'.

According to Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla, the Indian government will bear the cost of the rescue operation. Since Ukraine's airspace is closed, flights are being operated from neighboring Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. Camps have been set up on the borders of these countries with Ukraine. The Ministry of External Affairs has also launched a 24x7 helpline.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data, there were around 20,000 Indians including students stuck in Ukraine. However, 4,000 managed to come back to India before the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi Says ‘Govt Should Bring Back Students From Ukraine Swiftly’

The MEA also announced a dedicated Twitter handle ‘OpGanga Helpline’ to assist Indian evacuation from Ukraine. A 24x7 control centre has also been set up to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals through the border crossing points with Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar thanks his Hungarian Foreign Minister for his full support for 'Operation Ganga'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday to ensure the safety of the Indians and evacuating them is the top priority of the government, said officials.   Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Indian Students Walk Towards Ukraine-Poland Border for Evacuation (See Pics)

The helpline numbers of the control room in Poland are: +48225400000, +48795850877 and +48792712511. Those requiring help can also write an email to controlroominwarsaw@gmail.com, according to the MEA.

The helpline numbers of the control room in Romania are: +40732124309, +40771632567, +40745161631 and +40741528123. The email address for contacting the control room in Romania is controlroombucharest@gmail.com.

The MEA said Indians can contact the control room in Hungary on phone numbers +36 308517373, +36 13257742 and +36 13257743. It also has a WhatsApp number: +36 308517373 for assistance.

The helpline numbers of the control room in Slovakia are +421 252631377, +421 252962916 and +421 951697560. The email address is hoc.bratislava@mea.gov.in.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2022 05:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).