India exploring options to hire charter planes for evacuation from Afghanistan
Aug 17, 2021
New Delhi [India], August 17 : India is exploring options to hire charter planes to evacuate more Indians from Afghanistan, sources said on Tuesday as the situation continues to rapidly evolve in the war-torn country after the Taliban takeover.
Earlier in the day, an Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster with 120 people, including the Indian ambassador and embassy staff, landed at Jamnagar airbase from Afghanistan.
Two IAF transport aircraft later landed at Hindan airbase in Ghaziabad with people who were evacuated from Kabul to Jamnagar. IAF had sent additional C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Jamnagar to bring passengers to Delhi.
The sources said that for evacuations, India parked its C-17 at Ayni Air Base in Tajikistan as there was a huge rush at Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
Indian aircraft were on standby at Ayni Air Base and the C-17 flew to Kabul when cleared by the US which is controlling Kabul Airport, the sources said.
Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace. An Air India flight had earlier brought 129 passengers from Kabul to Delhi.
India has been issuing periodic travel and security advisories for all Indian nationals in Afghanistan, given the deteriorating security situation there.
