‘Our Children Stuck’ S Jaishankar recalls PM Modi called Putin, Zelensky

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recollected a story at a Gujarat event and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine to seek reassurance for the safe return of Indian students who were trapped in conflict zones when the war took place earlier this year.

“In Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a call to Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy told them our children are stuck… got the assurance that firing will not happen during that period and that is how we were able to get our children out,” said Jaishankar while speaking at an event in Surat, Gujarat.

In the last week of February, Russia began its military operation in Ukraine which resulted in enormous deaths of human lives. India assisted in the safe return of 22,500 Indian nationals, most of them students, under Operation Ganga. These students were studying at various universities in Ukraine.

S Jaishankar also added that despite global uncertainties due to COVID-19, climate change and the Russia-Ukraine war, India maintains to showcase a powerful business sentiment worldwide. He said at the event of ‘Modi@20’.

Many eminent personalities have contributed chapters in the book ‘Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery”. Jaishankar, earlier in the day, visited Surat smart city’s Urban Observatory and Emergency  Response Centre.