Operation Kaveri and Sudan Crisis

The Indian government recently in April 2023, launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to evacuate nearly 3,000 Indian citizens in Sudan. PM Narendra Modi announced the operation at a public event in Kerala.

• The operation involves the deployment of Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha, a stealth offshore patrol vessel, and two Indian Air Force C-130J special operations aircraft on standby in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

What is Happening in Sudan?

• Sudan has been facing a dispute between the country’s army & a paramilitary group, which took over 427 lives, including at least 273 civilians & more than 3,700 have been wounded.
• It started when clashes erupted in western Sudan, in the capital city of Khartoum, & in the Darfur region between two rival groups: the Sudanese army & a paramilitary group called the RSF, or Rapid Support Forces.
• The present conflict in Sudan has its roots in the overthrow of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir by military generals in April 2019, following widespread protests.