In a unfortunate development, an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv this morning. The death has been confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as per news agency PTI.

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"With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning," it tweeted.

The ministry said it is in touch with the family of the student.

"We convey our deepest condolences to the family," it said.

 

The student was a native of Karnataka's Haveri district, a state government official said. 

"A student Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, a native of Chalageri in Haveri district, died in the shelling," Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority Commissioner Manoj Rajan told PTI.

The MEA said Foreign Secretary is calling in ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate its demand for "urgent safe passage" to Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and in other cities conflict zones. "Similar action is also being undertaken by our ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine," the MEA said.

The Kharkiv city is witnessing increasing fighting between the Ukrainian troops and Russian forces.
Official sources said the deteriorating situation in Kharkiv is a matter of grave concern and that the safety and security of Indian nationals in that city is of utmost priority for the government.

They said India has already taken up up with the Russian and Ukrainian embassies the "pressing" requirement of safe passage to Indian nationals, including students, from Kharkiv and other cities in conflict zones.

"This demand has been repeatedly made of Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of this conflict on February 24. It has been conveyed to both their ambassadors in New Delhi as well as taken up in their capitals," said a source.

The sources said the preparations for evacuation of Indians from the Indian government side have been in place for sometime now.

"An Indian team has been positioned in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. However, the conflict situation in and around Kharkiv and nearby cities has been an obstacle," the source said.

"Therefore, it is imperative that Russia and Ukraine respond to our need for safe passage urgently," it said

The sources said in places where the conflict has not endangered movement, Indian authorities have been able to evacuate the citizens. They said India will continue to make utmost efforts to ensure the return Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine.

Union Minister Hardeep Puri is going to Hungary, Jyotiraditya Scindia will oversee the evacuation process in Romania and Moldova, Kiren Rijiju is traveling to Slovakia and Gen (retd) V K Singh will oversee the evacuation along the transit points with Poland. 

Meanwhile, an important advisory was issued for all Indian nationals including students in Ukraine. 

According to the official Twitter account of the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine:-

"Advisory to Indians in Kyiv

All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today. Preferably by available trains or through any other means available."

Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive against that country, sources said on Tuesday.

The IAF is likely to deploy several C-17 aircraft as part of Operation Ganga from Tuesday, they said.

Till now, only private Indian carriers were evacuating Indians from Romania and Hungary, countries with land borders with Ukraine on the western side, as the Ukrainian airspace had been shut since February 24.

India began evacuation of around 14,000 of its stranded citizens on February 26.

In order to scale up the ongoing evacuation efforts under Operational Ganga, PM Modi has called for the IAF to join the exercise, the sources said.

Leveraging the capacities of the IAF will ensure that more people can be evacuated in a shorter time frame, they noted.

The large C-17 aircraft will also help deliver humanitarian aid to war-hit Ukraine more efficiently, they mentioned. 

(With PTI inputs)