Watch: Piyush Goyal’s ‘welcome back to motherland’ message to Indians evacuated from Ukraine

Union minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday welcomed Indian nationals evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, as they landed in Mumbai on a special Air India flight, which took off from Bucharest, the Capital of the east European nation’s neighbour, Romania.

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“…and as you go back home, please reassure everyone not to worry. Be patient. Today, the honourable Prime Minister spoke to the Ukrainian President also, and requested him to keep all Indians safe and secure. The Russians have also promised to help to evacuate all our Indian nationals. So I would urge all of you to be very strong and give that strength to all your friends who are still in Ukraine,” Goyal is seen telling the evacuees–219 in all–in a video uploaded on his Twitter handle.

The minister then talked about two more Air India evacuation flights, one each from Romania and Hungary, which will arrive in Delhi in the early hours of Sunday, with Indians living in Ukraine onboard. 

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“This process will continue,” he assured.

Goyal also lauded the Tata Sons-owned airline, drawing loud cheers from the passengers. “I must thank the Air India crew. That is what the true spirit of nationalism is. Yehi Bharat ki taakat hai. Isi taakat ko humko un sab bachchon ko dena hai jo abhi vahaan par hai. I welcome you on behalf of PM Modi. We thank God that all of you are safe. All facilities are here for your convenience. Welcome back to the motherland,” he said.

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The flight, which left for Bucharest earlier today, arrived at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 8:01pm.

With Ukraine’s airspace shut due to the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, India is looking to evacuate its citizens stranded there with special flights out of countries bordering it.