Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to join the evacuation efforts under 'Operation Ganga' to bring back stranded Indians from Ukraine.

Indian Air Force transport aircraft including the C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift planes are on standby for ‘Operation Ganga’ under which Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine have to be brought back to the country.

These transport aircrafts will be deployed to carry humanitarian aid and medicines and on return will bring back Indians who are stuck at four different borders of Ukraine.

As per sources, leveraging the capacities of the Air Force will ensure that more people can be evacuated in a shorter time frame and it will also help to deliver humanitarian aid more efficiently.

The Union government has launched 'Operation Ganga' to bring back stranded students and Indian citizens from the conflict-torn Ukraine. Special flights are being operated by Air India, SpiceJet and Indigo as part of the 'Operation Ganga' mission.