Operation Devi Shakti

Afghanistan is well-known for its decelerating political and humanitarian conditions. While the UN, other international organisations, and countries have been dispatching aid or implementing other countermeasures to stabilise the conditions, nothing has been 100% effective. A considerable amount of the Indian population resides in Afghanistan.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Indian government to ensure their well-being and rescue them if needed. Operation Devi Shakti is a brave mission carried out by the Indian Air Force. It saved several Indians and made the country proud with its heroic acts.

Operation Devi Shakti - Overview

The mission's primary goal was to flee Indian citizens from the regions affected. Operation Devi Shakti 2021" was named so to commemorate the Indian Air Force along with other armed forces. On August 24, 2021, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar posted on Twitter about it, bringing the title to the frontline.

The Indian embassy situated in Kabul was also returned to India. It was described by Jaishankar as a "difficult and complex" exercise. The operation began on a fruitful note, thanks to the Indian Air Force along with their tenacious efforts. In the presence of the Taliban's growing hostility, the Indian counterpart had increased its efforts through Operation Devi Shakti to evict Indians and Afghan individuals from Kabul.

Significance of Operation Devi Shakti

Afghanistan is a war-torn country that is becoming dangerous day by day for the people living there. The extremist group called the Taliban used this destabilisation to their advantage and seized the capital. President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghleft, fled the country as he was worried about his safety and other political reasons.

This caused the government to disband, leaving an opening for the Taliban to establish their control over the country. As the conditions worsened, people in Afghanistan started to flee the country. Hundreds of them used to gather around airports, waiting for an opportunity to leave.

Key Points of Operation Devi Shakti

The government of India commissioned Operation Devi Shakti to help rescue the Indians stuck in the country.

A flight from New Delhi to Kabul brought back 10 Indians and 94 Afghans, including 83 members of the Hindu-Sikh minority community. 9 Children and three infants were present among the evacuees. Even though the three infants did not have their passports, the government of India facilitated their entry into the country.

The evacuees carried three copies of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikh community, and Holy Hindu scriptures from the fifth century.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and BJP President JP Nadda were present at the IGI airport to collect copies of the holy book and scriptures.

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In August 2021, about 556 people comprising 438 Indians were rescued. The mission continued until December, as it had to be paused here and three due to worsening tensions.

Up until now, 669 people, including 206 Afghans and 448 Indians, have been rescued from Afghanistan. In the light of the humanitarian crisis Afghanistan faces, the Indian government sent medical supplies as humanitarian aid on a return flight to Afghanistan.

The aid will be received by the representatives of WHO or the World Health Organisation in Kabul.

The Ministry of external affairs contacted the Indians in Afghanistan as they planned to rescue them from the country. The Indian Air Force played a central role in Operation Devi Shakti, and all the credit for the success goes to their bravery.

FAQs on Operation Devi Shakti

Q1. How many Indians were rescued in total in Operation Devi Shakti?

448 Indians were rescued in total in Operation Devi Shakti.

Q2. Who took control of Afghanistan due to which Operation Devi Shakti was initiated?

The extremist group called the Taliban illegally seized control over Afghanistan. The population were rescued during Operation Dev Shakti.

Q3. What are the additional steps taken by the Indian government apart from Operation Devi Shakti?

The Ministry of external affairs set up a 24/7 particular Afghanistan cell to receive requests from Afghanistan and facilitate the repatriation during operation Dev Shakti.

Q4. How many Afghan citizens were rescued under Operation Devi Shakti?

206 Afghans have been rescued under Operation Dev Shakti.

Q5. Who played the central role during Operation Dev Shakti?

The Indian Air Force played a central role during Operation Dev Shakti.