Male [Maldives], May 15 (ANI): Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa with 588 Indian citizens departed for Kerala on Friday."INS Jalashwa is be carrying 588 Indian community members. I am grateful to the government of India, who launch operation Vande Bharat and to the Navy for launching Operation Samudra Setu," said Indian envoy to the Maldives, Sanjay Sudhir, in a video message posted on a Twitter handle of Indian Embassy.The Navy ship has already repatriated 698 citizens to India on May 10 during her first sortie.Operation Samudra Setu is a repatriation mission launched by the Indian Navy to bring Indian citizens home from foreign shores in the wake of COVID-19.The mission is being conducted in close coordination with Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health and various other agencies of the Government of India and state governments.INS Magar, the Indian Naval ship which departed from Male, the Maldives on Sunday carrying 202 Indian nationals, entered Kochi harbour in Kerala on Tuesday.The entire exercise is part of Vande Bharat Mission of the Government of India for repatriation of Indian nationals from the Middle East and the Maldives in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic. (ANI)

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