India began firming up contingency plans including activating alternative air routes to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) holding a series of high-level meetings to put into operation, sources said.
Alternative evacuation routes are being activated to bring back the Indians, especially the students after the Ukrainian airspace was closed for civilian aircraft.
Additional Russian-speaking officials have been sent to the Indian Embassy in Kyiv and more are being deployed in countries neighbouring Ukraine. The Indian embassy in Ukraine is functional and its advisories should be followed carefully, sources said.
Earlier in the day, the government had said that it is closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine. "The focus is on the safety and security of Indians, particularly students. The MEA control room is being expanded and made operational on 24x7 basis," sources here said.
According to estimates, between 15,000 and 18,000 Indians, a majority of them medical students, are currently in Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine deteriorated after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a full-fledged military operation in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said an invasion could begin a “big war” in Europe.