Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
The Indian government had launched the rescue operation, ‘Operation Kaveri’ to save thousands of citizens who are stuck under unbearable conditions in Sudan.
Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The river is sacred to the people of the region and is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (mother Kaveri) “Rivers reach their destination irrespective of barriers. It’s like a mother who will ensure she will bring her children back to safety
What is the crisis in Sudan?
Military takeover of the government and power-sharing agreement – In April 2019 when Sudan went through widespread protests that led to the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir’s power by military generals. After this, a power-sharing body called the Sovereignty Council led Sudan to elections in 2023.
Military Coup – After the military deposed the Abdalla Hamdok-led transitional government in October 2021, two military and paramilitary generals engaged in a war interfering with the plan for a transition to elections.
Tentative deal – A tentative arrangement for the transition to democracy was achieved in December 2021, but it hit a roadblock after the news of the integration of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) was released. Conflicts developed as a result of tensions escalating over resource control and RSF integration due to disagreements over the timeline and security sector reforms.
Dispute between the RSF and the Sudanese Army – A dispute began between the RSF and the Sudanese Army over the integration of 10,000-strong RSF officials and which authority should oversee the process. However, with the RSF general Dagalo, putting the process to hold for ten years, the army said that it is likely to occur in the next two years. These disputes have led to tensions in Sudan.
What is Operation Kaveri?
The Indian government recently launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to evacuate nearly 3,000 Indian citizens in Sudan. PM Narendra Modi announced the operation Kaveri at a public event in Kerala. He has asked Junior External Affairs Minister V Muraleedharan to travel there to supervise the evacuation. Consequently, India had successfully stationed two Super Hercules C-130J aircraft in Jeddah with 40 passengers onboard New Delhi, across the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, to evacuate its citizens.
Foreign Minister had tweeted: “Operation Kaveri gets underway to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. Committed to assisting all our brethren in Sudan.”
Why is the rescue mission named “Operation Kaveri”?
The rescue operation has been named Kaveri to establish a metaphorical significance. River Kaveri is one of the largest rivers in India that flows through the Southern States of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. This river is considered sacred by the people of the region and is worshipped as Goddess Kaveriamma.
Therefore, this operation is named Operation Kaveri to establish the significance that rivers reach their destination despite the barriers they go through. Here, River Kaveri is portrayed as a mother who will ensure that she brings her children back home safely.
Has India launched similar missions before?
Yes. India has launched several rescue missions to bring stranded citizens from different countries home.
Operation Ganga
Last year, the Modi government launched “Operation Ganga to evacuate thousands of Indian students from Ukraine after the Russian invasion. In less than 4 weeks, around 16000 Indians were flown to India in 76 flights
Operation Devi Shakti
The rescue operation undertaken by India when Afghanistan was under attack from the Taliban was called “Operation Devi Shakti”.
Operation Vande Bharat
India Launched an operation on May 7, 2020, to bring back its citizens stranded in various countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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