India's Operation Indravati begins, 12 Indians rescued from violence-hit Haiti

India has started Operation Indravati to rescue Indian citizens stranded in violence-hit Haiti. Under this operation, on Thursday, 12 Indians were safely evacuated from Haiti and brought to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has given information about this operation on his social media platform X. He said that the Government of India is fully committed to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. He also thanked Haiti's neighboring country Dominican Republic for helping India in Operation Indravati.

India does not maintain an embassy in Haiti; instead, the Indian Mission in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic's capital, is keeping an eye on the situation. In his weekly media briefing on March 15, spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry Randhir Jaiswal stated that approximately 60 of the 75–90 Indians living in Haiti have registered with Indian authorities to be able to return home if necessary. Physicians, engineers, technicians, and a few missionaries are among the Haitian Indian community's professions. Jaiswal stated, "We maintain communication with the Indian Embassy located in Santo Domingo, the capital city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and with all Indians residing in other regions of the nation." We can get rid of all the Indians if necessary.

It is noteworthy that despite limited talks, India's relations with Haiti have been friendly. India established diplomatic relations with Haiti in September 1996. The Ministry of External Affairs has set up a 24-hour control room to provide information and assistance to Haitians and their family members in New Delhi and Santo Domingo. Apart from this, a 24-hour helpline has also been established. The Caribbean country Haiti has been in the grip of violence for months. Criminal gangs in Haiti have attacked various facilities in the country, including police stations, international airports and some prisons.