SpiceJet has joined the Central Government’s ‘Operation Kaveri’ to bring back stranded Indians from Sudan. The airline operated its first evacuation flight on April 30, transporting 184 stranded Indian nationals from Jeddah to Kochi.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the evacuation efforts. He reiterated the airline’s commitment to supporting the government in its mission to safeguard Indian citizens and enable their safe return to their homes and families. Singh also stated that SpiceJet is in regular communication with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to coordinate further evacuation efforts.
SpiceJet has a strong presence in Saudi Arabia, operating daily flights from Jeddah to Calicut, Delhi, and Mumbai. The airline also operates daily flights from Riyadh to Delhi. Officials say that more evacuation flights from Saudi Arabia to different cities in India are being planned.
The airline had played a crucial role in the government’s evacuation and repatriation efforts in the past. During “Operation Ganga,” SpiceJet had helped evacuate more than 1600 students by operating special flights to Budapest, Kosice, and Suceava. The airline had also played a key role in repatriating Indians and foreign nationals during the pandemic.
SpiceJet is one of several Indian airlines that have joined the government’s efforts to bring back stranded Indians from different parts of the world. The government launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ in May 2020 to evacuate Indians stranded abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The operation has been named after the Kaveri river, which flows through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Under ‘Operation Kaveri,’ Air India and its subsidiary, Air India Express, have been the main carriers for the evacuation of Indians from various countries. However, other airlines such as Vistara, IndiGo, and GoAir have also been involved in the operation.
India had suspended all international flights on March 23, 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The suspension has been lifted in a phased manner, with the resumption of international flights depending on the Covid-19 situation in the destination country. The government has been conducting repatriation flights as a part of ‘Operation Vande Bharat’ and ‘Mission Sagar’ to bring back stranded Indians from different parts of the world.
SpiceJet is not the only airline that has joined Operation Kaveri to bring back stranded Indians from foreign countries. In fact, several other airlines, including Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo, have also been involved in the mission since its launch in 2020.
Operation Kaveri is a joint initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, aimed at repatriating Indians stranded in different parts of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission has been carried out in collaboration with various airlines, both Indian and foreign.
Since its launch, Operation Kaveri has repatriated over 6 lakh Indian nationals from more than 50 countries. The mission has been hailed as a success by the Indian government and has helped bring back thousands of Indians who were stuck in foreign countries without any means of returning home.
The government has also put in place a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the repatriation of Indians under Operation Kaveri. The SOP includes guidelines for the selection of passengers, screening of passengers for COVID-19, and other safety measures to be followed during the repatriation process.
The success of Operation Kaveri has also led to the launch of similar missions for the repatriation of Indians stranded in other countries. For example, Operation Samudra Setu was launched in May 2020 to repatriate Indian nationals stranded in Maldives and Operation Vande Bharat was launched in May 2020 to bring back Indians stranded in various parts of the world.
