New Delhi: Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said Indian Air Force's transport aircraft could be sent to Libya to evacuate Indian citizens stranded there if the need arises.
"Navy has also sent its ships. Air Force also is ready. Whether it is Libya or other capitals, if the Government wants their service, they can also be sent," he said.
The Defence Minister was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony to flag-in Indian Army's expedition to the South Pole.
The IAF has kept its IL-76 aircraft on stand-by mode for the operations at different air fields in the country. An IL-76 can carry more than 300 passengers at one go.
The Navy has already sent two ships to Libya including the amphibious vessel INS Jalashwa and Delhi-class destroyer INS Delhi to help in evacuating 18,000 Indian citizens there.
On the evacuation effort by India, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said, "Evacuation is taking place from Tripoli and Benghazi and the External Affairs Ministry has hired ferry boats going to Alexandria, Egypt (for evacuation)."
"18000 is a large number and eventually we would be pressed to evacuate. The numbers we can carry is substantial. On Jalashwa we can carry 1500 in one ferry, so I see there would be enough work to be done," he said.
The Navy chief was responding to queries on the Libyan evacuation efforts on the sidelines of a two-day hydrographers' conference.
Air India is also operating two flights daily to Tripoli and has sought permission to land in the interior parts of Libya where over 1,000 Indians are believed to be stranded.
Already more than 1,000 passengers have been brought back to the country in the special flights operated by the national carrier.
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