NEW DELHI, Feb 26(TOI): India on Friday got the much-awaited clearance to land special flights in Tripoli to carry out evacuation operations for its citizens in strife-torn Libya.

Two special Air India flights will depart for Tripoli, one each from Delhi and Mumbai, early on Saturday and are expected to be back by Sunday with over 600 evacuees.

Two Indian warships will also leave for Libya from Mumbai on Saturday.

About 18,000 Indians are stranded in the country. Foreign minister S M Krishna said Libyan authorities had allowed Air India to operate two flights daily for evacuation for the next 10 days.

"As per schedule informed by Air India today, two flights per day from tomorrow to March 7 will be operated," the minister said.

The national carrier has deployed an Airbus 330, with a capacity of 270 seats, from Delhi and a Boeing 747, with a capacity of 400, from Mumbai.

Krishna said the country has also requested the Libyan government to extend the flight clearance if the evacuation was not completed within the given time period.

Meanwhile, two Indian warships, which together can carry 1,900 passengers at one go, will leave Mumbai on Saturday morning for Libya to supplement the evacuation operation. The defence ministry gave the go-ahead for the dispatch of INS Jalashwa and Delhi-class destroyer INS Mysore.