News Highlight
India launches Operation Kaveri to evacuate stranded citizens from war-hit Sudan.
Key Takeaway
- According to India’s Minister of External Affairs, ‘Operation Kaveri’ has begun to evacuate its people from conflict-torn Sudan.
- According to available information, over 3,000 Indians are trapped in various parts of Sudan, including the capital Khartoum and remote districts, such as Darfur.
- Operation Kaveri begins to bring back our citizens who are stranded in Sudan.”
- Around 500 Indians have arrived in Port Sudan.
Operation Kaveri
- About
- The codename for India’s evacuation mission to bring back its citizens stranded in Sudan amid severe fighting between the army and a rival paramilitary force is Operation Kaveri.
- The Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha, a stealth offshore patrol vessel, and two Indian Air Force C-130J special operations aircraft are on standby at Jeddah for the operation.
- Sudan has approximately 2,800 Indian nationals and a permanent Indian community of approximately 1,200 people.
Current Crisis in Sudan
- Background
- Sudan’s war stems from the April 2019 removal of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir by military generals in response to large demonstrations.
- This resulted in a deal between the military and demonstrators, establishing a power-sharing council known as the Sovereignty Council.
- It was formed to take Sudan to elections by the end of 2023.
- However, in October 2021, the military deposed the transitional administration led by Abdalla Hamdok.
- Burhan became the country’s de facto leader, with Dagalo serving as his deputy.
- Tussle between Army and RSF
- Soon after the coup in 2021, a power struggle between two military (SAF) and paramilitary (RSF) generals erupted, delaying the transition to elections.
- A tentative agreement for a political transition was achieved in December 2021.
- However, negotiations stalled over integrating the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) due to differences over the timing and security sector reforms.
- Tensions rose over resource control and RSF integration, resulting in violence.
- There was a dispute about how the 10,000-strong RSF should be absorbed into the army and who should be in charge of that process.
Kaveri
- About
- The Kaveri is a large Indian river that flows through the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- The Kaveri River begins in Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.
- And flows for over 800 kilometres until emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
- It is the third largest river in southern India, behind the Godavari and Krishna.
- As well as the largest in Tamil Nadu, cutting the state in half along its length.
- The river was also known as Ponni in Tamil literature.
- The people of South India revered the Kaveri River as the Goddess Kaveriamma (Mother Cauvery).
- It is regarded as one of India’s seven holy rivers.
- It is widely utilised in agriculture in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Major evacuation operations
- Operation Ganga
- The Indian government launched Operation Ganga in February 2022 to evacuate stranded Indians from war-torn Ukraine.
- Operation Devi Shakti
- The Indian Armed Forces (IAF) began an evacuation operation in August 2021.
- Its purpose is to securely return Indian people from Afghanistan following the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul, the Taliban’s capital city.
- Vande Bharat Mission
- Special flights were flown worldwide to return nationals stranded in foreign countries due to the coronavirus outbreak.
- Wuhan Airlift
- In January 2020, India flew its citizens safely from China’s coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in one of the most arduous evacuation flights.
- Operation Maitri
- The Indian government made this effort to transport Nepalese nationals following the terrible earthquake in 2015 safely.
- Operation Raahat
- This operation resulted in the rescue of hundreds of Indians and other nationals.
- During the unrest in Yemen’s capital Sana’a following the Houthi rebel rebels’ total capture in January 2015.
- Operation Amnesty Airlift
- The expedition was conducted in September 1996 to return Indian people who did not have valid licences from the UAE.
- Kuwait Airlift
- In August 1990, the Indian Air Force collaborated with Air India to transport stranded Indian nationals to Kuwait.
Way Forward
- Because India cannot rely solely on West Asian countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, which form the global energy heartland.
- It has deliberately partnered with oil-rich African republics such as Sudan, Nigeria, and Angola to address its expanding energy demands.
- India must safeguard its investments, commerce, and other interests in the Horn of Africa.
- India’s marine security strategy relies heavily on the Red Sea region.
- Given the longstanding Indo-Sudanese relations and Sudan’s location in the Horn of Africa, India must protect its commerce, investments, and regional interests before taking any hasty steps to recognise the new leadership.
Pic Courtesy: Agenzia Nova
Content Source: The Hindu