{"id":11769,"date":"2025-12-28T14:54:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T09:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=11769"},"modified":"2025-12-29T15:14:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T09:44:50","slug":"operation-rahat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/operation-rahat\/","title":{"rendered":"Operation Rahat 2015, Background, Objectives, Timeline, Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Operation Rahat, launched in April 2015, was a complex civilian evacuation mission undertaken by the Government of India to rescue Indian citizens and foreign nationals stranded in war-torn Yemen. The operation became an example of India's Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs) and showcased the nation\u2019s growing capacity to respond to international crises.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Operation Rahat<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Operation Rahat (2015) was a landmark Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) launched by the Government of India to rescue Indian nationals and foreign citizens stranded in Yemen, a country caught in a brutal civil war. With airstrikes, political instability, and the collapse of basic infrastructure, the Indian government executed one of the largest and most complex overseas evacuation missions, Operation Rahat in its history. This operation not only showcased India\u2019s logistical strategies but also reinforced its commitment to humanitarian values, even beyond its borders.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Also Read: Operation Sindoor<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Operation Rahat Background<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In early 2015, the Houthi rebels had overthrown the existing government, leading to widespread instability. On March 27, a Saudi-led coalition launched a series of airstrikes and imposed a naval blockade targeting rebel-held areas. With thousands of Indian nationals living and working in Yemen, many employed in healthcare, education, and other essential sectors, the crisis raised serious alarm. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had issued several warnings, with the final advisory on March 25 cautioning of imminent armed conflict.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite these alerts, a significant number of Indians remained in the conflict zone. In response, the Government of India launched Operation Rahat, a large-scale emergency evacuation initiative to ensure the safe return of its citizens. The operation\u2019s title, Rahat, signifying \u201crelief,\u201d captured the urgency and compassion behind the mission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Operation Rahat Objective<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The Operation Rahat Objective was to evacuate all Indian citizens (and any foreign nationals requesting help) from war\u2011torn Yemen as swiftly and safely as possible. As External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later explained, \u201cOperation Raahat was launched by Indian Armed Forces to evacuate more than 4,000 Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from Yemen\u201d. The mission was run jointly by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Armed Forces, with key support from civilian agencies. The MEA set up 24\u00d77 control rooms in Delhi, Sana\u2019a and Djibouti, and Indian ambassadors coordinated on the ground.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Also Read: S-400 Defence System<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Operation Rahat Timeline<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n\t
  1. 27 Mar 2015: <\/b>Saudi-led air campaign begins in Yemen. India escalates evacuation planning.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. 30 Mar 2015: <\/b>Inter-ministerial \u201cStanding Group\u201d in MEA meets daily from this date to coordinate. Modi calls Saudi King Salman, securing cooperation.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. 31 Mar 2015:<\/b> Indian Navy\u2019s patrol vessel INS Sumitra departs Lakshadweep for Aden. The Ambassador in Yemen urges Indians to head to Sana\u2019a\/Aden.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. 1 Apr 2015:<\/b> Sea evacuations begin. INS Sumitra reaches Aden and embarks ~349 evacuees (Indians and foreigners), departing for Djibouti. (Meanwhile the cyclone track diverted two Lakshadweep ferries to Aden as backup.)<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. 3 Apr 2015: <\/b>Air evacuations begin. Two IAF C-17s fly from Djibouti into Sana\u2019a under escort, and Air India flights commence from Sana\u2019a to Djibouti, carrying hundreds each sortie.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  6. 4\u20137 Apr 2015: <\/b>Indian destroyer Mumbai and frigate Tarkash arrive in Aden\/Hodeidah. Despite shelling, they pick up evacuees at multiple ports (Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla) and transport them to Djibouti.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  7. 8\u20139 Apr 2015:<\/b> Final airlifts occur. On 9 April, three special Air India flights carried another 630 Indians from Sana\u2019a; MoS V.K. Singh, in Djibouti, reports all who wished to leave have been evacuated. By 9 April over 4,640 Indians and ~960 foreigners had been flown out.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  8. 10\u201311 Apr 2015: <\/b>Last naval evacuations. INS Tarkash embarked 464 evacuees from Aden on 10 April; INS Sumitra lifted more from Hodeidah on 9 Apr. By 11 April the sea evacuation wrapped up, though Sumitra made one additional trip on 15\u201316 April. All ships then returned to India.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Operation Rahat Challenges<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
      \r\n\t
    1. Naval crew on board ships like INS Tarkash reported intense shelling, gunfire, and explosions at port facilities while attempting to embark evacuees, posing a severe threat to both personnel and civilians.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
    2. One Indian national, merchant seaman Manjeet Singh, sustained critical injuries during an airstrike in Aden and later succumbed to his wounds aboard Tarkash en route to Djibouti, highlighting the grave risks on the ground.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Indian naval escorts, including warships and coastguard vessels, were deployed to shield smaller boats ferrying evacuees from shore to offshore vessels amid the threat of maritime hostilities.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Onboard medical teams, particularly those aboard INS Sumitra, provided urgent care to vulnerable evacuees including pregnant women, infants, and individuals with chronic conditions during the journey.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
    5. A unified command structure was instrumental in mitigating challenges such as inclement weather, crowd management at embarkation points, and diplomatic clearances. This involved:<\/span>\r\n
        \r\n\t
      1. MoS General V.K. Singh overseeing ground operations from Djibouti,<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
      2. The Indian Navy managing maritime lanes,<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
      3. The Indian Air Force handling aerial logistics and clearances, and<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
      4. Air India coordinating flight schedules for civilian evacuees.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
      5. By April 11, 2015, all willing Indian nationals had been successfully evacuated, showcasing the mission's efficiency despite the extraordinary operational hurdles.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

        Also Read: Operation Devi Shakti<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

        Operation Rahat Impact<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
          \r\n\t
        1. Operation Rahat emerged as one of India\u2019s most extensive and strategically challenging non-combatant evacuation operations, involving coordinated air-sea efforts in between the active conflict.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
        2. The mission showcased the Indian Armed Forces ability not only to operate in high-risk international environments but also to serve as instruments of humanitarian diplomacy and regional stability.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
        3. Defence experts noted the operation affirmed years of inter-service joint training and strategic preparedness, particularly for the Indian Navy and Air Force, underlining their central role in safeguarding India\u2019s overseas interests.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
        4. The operation strengthened India's regional diplomacy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) publicly acknowledged Djibouti\u2019s critical support, and India's proactive efforts fostered goodwill with Gulf nations and international partners.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
        5. Operation Rahat aligned with the government\u2019s narrative of prioritising citizen\u2019s safety, reinforcing the image of a responsive and responsible state that ensures no Indian is left behind.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
          Also Check<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Sindoor<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Sankat Mochan <\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Ganga<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Olivia <\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Devi Shakti<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Safe Homecoming<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Cactus<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Keller<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Kaveri<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Rising Lion<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Karuna<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Airlift<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Megh Chakra<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Maitri<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Rahat<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Nader<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Dost<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Baam<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Samudra Setu<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Mahadev<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Iron Swords<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Shiv Shakti<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
          Operation Sagar Bandhu<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\nOperation Smiling Buddha <\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Operation Rahat (2015) was India\u2019s major evacuation mission to rescue over 5,600 people from war-torn Yemen, showcasing swift coordination and humanitarian resolve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":11759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1230,1231],"class_list":{"0":"post-11769","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-cse-exam","8":"tag-operation-rahat","9":"tag-operation-rahat-upsc"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11769"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22581,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11769\/revisions\/22581"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}