India’s evacuation missions and challenges

General Studies Paper 2

India’s Evacuation Missions have become increasingly vital for safeguarding its citizens during global crises, as exemplified by the recent Sudan conflict in 2023. In this mission, India demonstrated its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of thousands of its nationals trapped in the African nation. However, these missions also present a myriad of challenges, including geopolitical complexities, operational difficulties, and resource constraints.

Why there is a rising complexity in India’s Evacuation Missions?

• Unstable Regions: India’s evacuation missions often involve unstable regions where the security situation can change rapidly, making it difficult to plan and execute safe evacuations. The recent rescue of Indians from Sudan highlights this complexity, as the IAF faced intelligence challenges and a rough landing environment.
• Global Crises: Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent conflict in Afghanistan have led to an increased need for evacuation missions in challenging circumstances. In the Kabul mission of August 2021, the pilots faced chaotic and uncontrolled airspace, emphasizing the complexity of such operations.
• Diverse Nationalities: India’s evacuation missions often involve not only Indian citizens but also foreign nationals, adding to the logistical challenges of coordinating with other governments and international organizations. During “Operation Raahat” in 2015, India evacuated over 4,600 Indians and 950 nationals from 41 countries amid the Yemen crisis.
• Coordination Challenges: India’s evacuation missions require close coordination between various government agencies, the armed forces, and international partners. This increases the complexity of such operations, as demonstrated by India’s efforts to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic or from Iraq and Syria.
• Evolving Security Threats: India’s evacuation missions are becoming more complex due to evolving security threats, such as terrorism and cyberattacks. These threats can directly impact the safety and security of evacuees and the personnel involved in the missions, requiring robust planning and countermeasures to mitigate risks.
• Climate-Related Disasters: Natural disasters caused by climate change, such as cyclones and floods, can hamper evacuation missions.
• Growing Indian Diaspora: With an increasing number of Indians living, working, and studying abroad, the potential for India’s evacuation missions to involve a more diverse group of people is growing. This can create additional complexities in terms of communication, cultural understanding, and logistical coordination during evacuation operations.

What is the policy support provided by the government for India’s Evacuation Missions?

• Strong Political Commitment and Continuous Assessment: India’s Prime Minister’s directive to prepare evacuation plans for Indian citizens in Sudan in 2023 and his emphasis on regular monitoring and assessment of their safety demonstrate the government’s unwavering dedication to protect its nationals abroad.
• Interagency Coordination: The high-level meeting chaired by India’s PM to discuss the situation of Indians trapped, this was attended by officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian ambassador to Sudan, the Foreign Secretary, and high-level officials from the air force and navy, highlighting the importance of interagency coordination in evacuation missions.
• Diplomatic Efforts: India’s External Affairs Minister meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the situation, emphasizing the role of diplomacy in facilitating evacuation missions.
• Resource Allocation: The Indian government’s allocation of resources, such as the deployment of Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for evacuation missions like the one in Sudan in 2023, demonstrates support for the missions.
• Public Communication: The Ministry of External Affairs’ cautionary statement to Indians in Sudan about active fighting near the Indian mission in Khartoum, emphasizing the role of effective public communication in ensuring the safety of citizens during evacuation missions.
• Specialized Training: The specialized training provided to the IAF’s special operations crew, like the C-130J squadrons, which helped in successful evacuation missions such as the ones in Afghanistan and Sudan.
• Coordination with Host Countries: During the Vande Bharat Mission in 2020, India worked closely with host countries to ensure the safe repatriation of Indian citizens from various nations, emphasizing the importance of coordination with host countries for successful evacuation missions.

What are the operational challenges faced in India’s Evacuation Missions?

• Limited Intelligence: Evacuation missions can face challenges due to insufficient information about local conditions, hindering effective planning and execution.
• Logistical Hurdles: Coordinating transportation, navigating difficult terrain, and providing basic necessities like food and water can be challenging during evacuation missions. For instance, Indian citizens trapped in Sudan in 2023 faced difficulties due to a lack of electricity, food, and water, highlighting the logistical challenges in evacuation missions.
• Communication Barriers: Language differences, poor communication infrastructure, and limited access to local authorities can complicate coordination and rescue efforts.
• Time Constraints: In many evacuation scenarios, the situation on the ground can change rapidly, requiring flexibility and adaptability from the mission planners and the personnel involved. This adds another layer of complexity to India’s evacuation missions, as decision-makers must quickly respond to new information and adjust their plans accordingly.
• Uncertainty in Evacuee Numbers: Estimating the exact number of citizens who require evacuation can be difficult, leading to challenges in planning and executing evacuation missions.
• Navigating Political Sensitivities: Evacuation missions may involve coordinating with foreign governments or navigating complex political situations, such as India maintaining contact with the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the U.K., and the UAE during the Sudan evacuation in 2023.

What are the advantages associated with the success of India’s Evacuation Missions?

• Enhanced National Reputation: Successful evacuation missions, like the 2023 Sudan evacuation, demonstrate India’s commitment to its citizens abroad and bolster the country’s international standing.
• Improved Military Capabilities: Complex operations help strengthen India’s military expertise, particularly in the areas of special operations and logistics.
• Strong Diplomatic Relations: Coordinating with multiple nations during evacuation missions, as India did with the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the U.K., and the UAE in the Sudan case, fosters international cooperation and strengthens diplomatic ties.
• Greater Public Confidence: Successfully executing evacuation missions instils confidence in Indian citizens, both at home and abroad, that their government is committed to their safety and wellbeing.
• Showcase of Technological Advancements: Successful evacuations, such as the Wadi Seidna mission, highlight the capabilities of advanced aircraft like the C-130J Super Hercules. This shows India’s technological progress in the defence sector.

Way forward:

• Enhance Intelligence Gathering: Collaborate with regional and global partners to improve intelligence collection and sharing for better situational awareness, like during the Yemen evacuation mission, which involved coordination with several countries.
• Strengthen Coordination Mechanisms: Establish joint task forces with friendly countries to streamline coordination between different government agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations, similar to the collaboration during the Nepal earthquake relief operations.
• Advanced Technology: Continue investing in cutting-edge technology, such as the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft, to enhance evacuation capabilities and ensure mission success, as seen in the Sudan evacuation.
• Train and Equip Special Forces: Strengthen the training and capabilities of special forces like the Garud commandos, who participated in the Herat embassy evacuation mission, to guarantee the safety of Indian citizens abroad.
• Develop Contingency Plans: Conduct regular simulations and exercises with regional partners to prepare comprehensive contingency plans for different scenarios, ensuring timely and effective responses in real-life situations.
• Maintain Diplomatic Engagement: Actively participate in regional forums and establish joint mechanisms with countries in the region, as well as those with significant citizens in crisis zones. This will ensure smooth cooperation during evacuation missions.