PM Modi instructs officials to continuously evaluate safety of Indians in Sudan

Amid the ongoing crisis in Sudan, Prime Minister Modi chaired a high level meeting to review the security situation of Indians in Sudan. According to the official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, all involved officials have been directed to maintain vigilance, closely watch the developments, and continually assess the safety of Indians in Sudan.

In the wake of the Sudan situation, which has put the lives of thousands of Indians in the capital city of Khartoum in danger, Prime Minister passed these instructions while chairing the meeting on Friday. Currently, there are about 3,000 Indians trapped in the impoverished country.

“Prime Minister Modi instructed all relevant officials to remain vigilant, closely monitoring developments and continuously evaluating the safety of Indian nationals in Sudan and extending them all possible assistance. The Prime Minister has further directed the preparation of contingency evacuation plans, accounting for the rapidly shifting security landscape and the viability of various options,” read the statement.

Prime Minister advises to stay in contact with Indians in Sudan

PM Modi stressed on the importance of keeping in touch with neighboring nations in the Sudan region as well as those with sizable populations of nationals living in Sudan. The meeting was attended by several top officials, including Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, India’s ambassador to Sudan, BS Mubarak, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Prime Minister Modi evaluated the most recent developments in Sudan during the meeting and got a first-hand account of the situation there, with an emphasis on the safety of Indian residents who are currently living there.

PM Modi condoles the death of an Indian in Sudan

PM Modi offered his condolences during the meeting for the loss of an Indian who sadly died from a stray bullet last week. An Indian working for a Dal Group Company in Sudan named Albert Augestine was murdered by a stray bullet, according to information provided by the Indian Embassy in Sudan a week earlier. The Indian Embassy in Sudan tweeted, “The embassy is in touch with family and medical authorities to make further arrangements.”

EAM S. Jaishankar: We are in touch with Indians in Sudan

“We had a very good meeting. Most of our meeting was on the Sudan situation. We also held talks on the G20, and Ukraine conflict, but essentially it was about Sudan,” EAM Jaishankar said. He further added that Indian government is in continuous touch with its citizens stranded amidst the conflict and violence in Sudan.

The EAM said “Our team in Delhi is in continuous touch with the Indians in Sudan, advising them. We know it’s very difficult for everybody but keep calm and don’t take unnecessary risk. I hope the efforts will yield something very soon,”.

Arindam Bagchi, the MEA spokesperson had stated that the ministry is in touch with the Indian embassy in Sudan. Fighting has broken out between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who is in command of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Following the toppling of longstanding dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019, a plan for a transition to a civilian democracy was derailed by a coup in 2021 between Sudan’s military head and his deputy on the ruling council. By the end of 2023, elections were planned.