How Indian Flag helped Pakistani, Turkish students to escape war-hit Ukraine

Bucharest (Romania) | Agencies: The Indian tricolour is not only helping the stranded Indians in the war-hit Ukraine, but also those belonging to Pakistan and Turkey, and helping cross into the neighbouring countries of Kyiv.

Speaking to news agency ANI, some of the Indian students - who arrived in Romania to catch the special evacuation flights being operated under 'Operation Ganga' - revealed how the tricolour is not only helping them, but also some Pakistani and Turkish students.

"We were told in Ukraine that being Indians and carrying Indian flag, we won't have any problems," said a medical student who arrived from Odesa in Southern Ukraine.

The students narrated how they bought spray paints from the markets to prepare Indian flags.

"I ran to the market, bought some colour sprays and a curtain. I then cut the curtain and spray-painted it to make the Indian tricolour," said a student.

They added that even some Pakistani and Turkish students passed checkpoints using the Indian flag.

"The Turkish and Pakistani students were also using the Indian flag," a student said, adding that the Indian flag was of great help to the Pakistani, Turkish students.

The students from Odessa moved from Molodova to Romania.

"We booked the bus from Odesa and came to the Molodova border. The Moldovan citizens were very nice. They provided us with free accommodation and taxis and buses to get to Romania," a student said. Further adding that they did not face much problem in Molodova as the Indian embassy had already made the arrangements.

The students also expressed their gratitude to the Indian embassy officials who arranged for their food and shelter as they awaited their flights back to India.

"When a student is arriving here, he's first taken to a proper shelter and provided with food while the registration takes place while dates on which they will be evacuated are finalised," the student said.

Earlier on Monday, the Indian government deputed four Union Cabinet ministers to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate the evacuation efforts following a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With ANI inputs)