Officials hint the visit could finally see a formal defence industrial road map being adopted by both nations.
'The Indian government evacuated its citizens from the clutches of the Taliban and Covid-hit Wuhan, so I am not worried.'
India's comments came hours after Russia claimed that some Indian students in Kharkiv were taken hostage by Ukrainian security forces.
Responding to a discussion in Lok Sabha on the situation in Ukraine, Jaishankar said the Ukrainian government too has offered relaxation for students for taking two key examinations in their medical education courses.
In the last few days, India has been focusing primarily on ways to get the Indian students out of Sumy, a city that is around 60 km from the Russian border.
'The situation is very bad there. People are stranded'
The Centre on Thursday said Indian passengers from Ukraine can return via Qatar, with aviation industry experts stating that civilian flights will restart from Ukraine only when its airspace opens.
"We realised no one is going to come to help us and it is up to us now," 20-year-old Ashna Pandita told PTI over the phone as the train took them to the western city of Ukraine, about 80 km from the Poland border, where the fighting has been relatively less.
'The Indian activities at the UN are fully reflecting the merit of our special and privileged strategic partnership'
The central government has told the high court that under 'Operation Ganga', in addition to commercial aircrafts, Indian Air Force flights have also been pressed into operation to evacuate the Indians who have crossed into Romania, Poland, Hungary and other neighbouring countries of Ukraine.
Singh's comments that the nuclear option should not be resorted to is a message to Russia as well as Western powers backing Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said. Ukraine does not have any nuclear arsenal.
In a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden spoke about Russia's escalating military buildup on the borders of Ukraine.
The eastern part of Ukraine has been witnessing intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops.
'Just because the night passed and we survived does not mean the struggle is over for us. We are far from being in a safe zone. We did start walking but the railway stations were flooded with people and still haven't been able to board a train'
India does not have any immediate plan to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine and its focus has been on ensuring their safety rather than on anything "larger", the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday.
Several videos emerged on social media in which teary-eyed students urged the Indian authorities to make arrangements for their return.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India hopes to evacuate its citizens from Kharkiv and Pisochyn in the next few hours.
Charmesh Sharma said he had on March 10 informed the Indian authorities about five students stranded in that country, after which three of them were brought back.
The two leaders discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, meanwhile, said the sixth flight under India's evacuation mission 'Operation Ganga' left for Delhi from Budapest with 240 Indian nationals.
Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest. The government is not charging the rescued citizens for the evacuation flights.
The US is ready to respond "decisively" to a Russian attack on Ukraine which is still very much a possibility, President Joe Biden has said, urging Moscow to step back from the brink of war.
The students, who had to brave hunger and freezing temperatures amid a sense of uncertainty, heaved a sigh of relief when they crossed over to Poland. They now await their flight back home on Thursday.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the government is trying to find out details about the student from Haveri district who was reportedly injured due to the shelling by Russian forces in Ukraine's Kharkiv city.
Poland's Ambassador to India Adam Burakowski on Monday said his country is allowing entry to people of all nationalities who are leaving war-hit Ukraine by road and food and shelter will be provided to them.
We have already suffered considerable collateral damage as a result of the war, and its continuance will continue to dampen our prospects for faster economic growth. We have a direct and legitimate interest in its early cessation, counsels former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
' We have run out of food items and there is no place to stock up again. When will this end?'
'I request the embassy to evacuate me from here, provide me facilities like a wheelchair, help me with documentation'
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India has also approached the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva and requested it to be cognizant of the security interests of the Indian citizens and escort them out, wherever possible, when it starts its operation in Ukraine.
There is no power, no water supply and shops are refusing to accept cards, even though ATMs have run out of cash, said the Sumy State University student.
Most of the students, PTI spoke to soon after their arrival, said they had followed the advisory issued by the Indian embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
'It makes no sense at all to leave because I have my whole family with me.' 'My wife and children are citizens here.'
By driving a hard bargain with Russia in procuring crude oil at the lowest price possible, India is furthering the policy of G7 and Washington is "comfortable" with New Delhi over its approach in addressing issues relating to energy security, a top Biden administration official said.
The ministry of external affairs urged Indian students to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
'We request the Indian government that they send some buses urgently so that we can travel in groups and reach safety.'
Tears of joy rolled out of the eyes of parents and family members, some of whom distributed sweets and garlanded their children while others welcomed them with bouquets and hugs after their arrival at gate number 4 and 5 of the Indira Gandhi International airport.
Singh said some students who returned without anyone's help were neither sad nor unhappy.
Masked and wearing blue jeans, a blue blouse and sunglasses with "I RUN CLEAN" written on them, Tsimanouskaya had arrived in a police-escorted van at Narita airport east of the Japanese capital.
Sports bodies moved quickly to strip Russia of events,
'The Ukrainian soldiers were cordial to Nigerians and others but were harsh on Indians'
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