On board the ship, there will be basic amenities and medical facilities for all the passengers while undertaking the sea-passage to Porbandar.

With Phase II of the repatriation of stranded Indians being spearheaded by the Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the other ministries and state authorities nearing end, Indian Naval Ship Shardul is getting citizens from Iran. Under Operation Samudra Setu, the Indian Navy has now sent its INS Shardul to pick up passengers from the port of Bandar Abbas, Islamic Republic of Iran and they will be disembarked at Porbandar, Gujarat.

Before boarding each and every passenger will have to go through requisite medical screenings and on disembarkation, they will have to go for 14 day mandatory quarantine. The Indian mission in Tehran has been preparing a list of the passengers who will return on board the naval ship and only ensuring strict protocols are in place.


As has been reported by Financial Express Online, COVID-19 related social distancing norms are in place, and according to the Indian Navy, special provisions have been made for the evacuation operation which includes embarkation of additional medical staff, doctors, hygienists and nutritionists.

In addition to the authorised medical outfit including personal protective equipment, face masks, life-saving gear, medical equipment which is critical for treating COVID-19 positive passengers, also onboard INS Shardul will be the innovative products which have been developed by the Indian Navy indigenously during the ongoing global pandemic.

On board the ship, there will be basic amenities and medical facilities for all the passengers while undertaking the sea-passage to Porbandar. Also, in case there is a need, the Navy has incorporated temporary isolation compartments which have been earmarked for any contingencies.

Mission Sagar

Besides repatriating stranded Indians, INS Kesari carrying a consignment of COVID related essential medicines for the people of Seychelles docked at Port Victoria, Seychelles.

The consignment was sent as part of India’s help to friendly nations who have been dealing with COVID-19 pandemic.

In an official ceremony, the medicines were handed over in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner General Dalbir Singh Suhag (Retd) and the Second Secretary Ashwin Bhaskaran to the Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Barry Faure and Secretary of State for Health, Ambassador Marie Pierre Lloyd, who were representing the Government of Seychelles.

Navy’s Role In Repatriation So Far

Operation Samudra Setu was launched on May 8. Since then Indian Naval ships including Jalashwa and Magar have already evacuated 2874 Indians from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to ports of Kochi and Tuticorin.