India’s strategic partnership with the biggest state in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, and foreign minister S Jaishankar’s telephonic conversation with his Saudi counterpart came to the rescue as Riyadh evacuated a batch of Indians from war-torn Sudan where the ground situation remains “extremely tense”.

A batch of Indian nationals were among nearly 100 citizens from 12 nations that the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Saudi evacuated late Saturday night from conflict-hit Sudan. The Saudi foreign ministry, in a statement, announced the "safe arrival" of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals belonging to Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Canada and Burkina Faso.

Meanwhile the Indian government stated that the Government of India is pursuing multiple options. Two Indian Air Force C-130J are currently positioned on standby in Jeddah. And, INS Sumedha has reached Port Sudan.