Operation Samudra Setu: INS Jalashwa reaches Male to evacuate about 750 Indians

The Indian Navy said its ship INS Jalashwa reached Male on Thursday morning to evacuate around 750 Indians stranded in Maldives amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"This ship is part of Operation Samudra Setu launched by the Indian Navy to bring Indian citizens home from foreign shores," the Navy said in a statement.

The ship has been provided relief material, COVID-19 protection material along with medical and administrative support staff, it noted.

"It is planned to evacuate about 750 persons," the Navy mentioned, adding that the INS Jalashwa has the capacity to generate 3MW of electrical power and 212 tonnes of fresh water per day.

The Navy said the ship has extensive medical facilities and is ideally suited to undertake humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 52,900 people and killed around 1,780 people in the country till now.