Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attributed the success of the 'Operation Ganga' – to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in war-torn Ukraine – to the country's growing influence in the global arena.
After inaugurating the golden jubilee celebration of the Symbiosis University and its Arogyam Dham in Pune, PM Modi said, “We are evacuating thousands of Indians safely from the war zone through the Operation Ganga."
“It is due to India's growing influence that it has brought thousands of students from the war zone of Ukraine back to their motherland," the prime minister said.
The PM further said that several big nations are facing difficulties in doing so for their citizens.
On Sunday, addressing students in Pune, PM Modi said their generation is lucky that it does not have to bear the brunt of a “defensive and dependent psychology".
If the country has seen this change, then the credit goes to the youth of the country, he said. He said sectors where the country would not have thought of standing on its feet, it is now becoming a global leader in those areas.
On mobile, electronic manufacturing and defence sectors
The PM also cited the example of mobile and electronic manufacturing and the defence sectors.
“In the area of defence, we had come to believe that we could do anything only on the basis of whatever others gave. But, today things have changed," he said.
The PM said India is now becoming a defence exporter. Two defence corridors are underway where modern weapons will be manufactured and fulfill the country's security needs, he added.
“India has emerged second in the area of mobile manufacturing. Seven years back, the country only had two mobile manufacturing companies. Today, more than 200 manufacturing units are involved in this," he said.
From the software industry to health sector, from Artificial Intelligence to automobiles and electric vehicles, from quantum computing to machine learning, new avenues are coming to the fore, he mentioned.
The PM said reforms are taking place in the areas of geo-spatial systems, from drones and semi-conductors to space. These reforms have brought opportunities for the youth.
The government in the country trusts the capabilities of the youth, which is why many sectors are liberalised, he said.
The world's third largest start-up ecosystem is in India, the PM said, adding that the 'Start-up India', 'Stand-up India', 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (initiatives of the government) represent the aspirations of the youth.
"Today's India is innovating, improving and influencing the world," he said.
Modi cited the example of how India showed its capability through a vaccine against COVID-19. The prime minister exhorted the youth to start their own start-ups to find solutions to the challenges faced by the country.
He said the solutions to the local challenge should come from universities.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry stated today that eight flights with more than 1,500 Indians will operate from war-torn Ukraine's neighbouring countries to India on Monday.
The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Indian citizens fleeing Ukraine are being airlifted from its neighbours such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
"Under 'Operation Ganga' to rescue Indian citizens, 2,135 Indians have been brought back today (Sunday) by 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries," the ministry noted in a statement.
"Tomorrow, eight special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (five), Suceava (two) and Bucharest (one), bringing more than 1,500 Indians back home," it mentioned.
To date, the Indian Air Force has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries as part of 'Operation Ganga'.
The IAF is conducting its flights using C-17 military transport planes. The civilian flight are being operated by Indian carriers such as IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and SpiceJet.
With agency inputs
