Col Alok Mathur, SM
As the Iran Israel conflict, enters the 10th Day, Indian Government has decided to evacuate stranded Indian nationals and students studying in various institutes from Iran and Israel. Operation Sindhu is the Government of India initiative to move safely the Indian nationals and students to neighbouring countries and then, bring them back home safely from War zone. Indian Embassy at Tehran and Tel Aviv have been instructed to take care of students in Iran and Israel and safely move them out to safe zones. Help line numbers have been also circulated on social media. The help has been extended to even Nepalese, and Sri Lankan students.
The first SOS appeared on social media on 17 June 2025 from a group of students of Urmia university who pleaded from Indian embassy to help them in evacuation from Iran. The group walked for days and crossed over to Armenia. They were taken to capital ‘Yerevan’. They contacted Indian embassy who arranged for accommodation in a luxury hotel and informed MEA. A special Transport Aircraft was despatched, which reached Armenia on 18 June mid night.
All 110 students were brought to Yerevan Airport and were accommodated. The first flight under Operation Sindhu from Armenia landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport on early morning on Thursday, 19th June 2025, carrying 110 passengers safely. Most of them were medical students all from UT of Jammu Kashmir. They all have reached home with help of Luxury coaches provided by Government. The second flight which was a chartered flight of Iranian ‘Mahan Air carrier’ took off from Mashhad in Iran with 290 students and landed at Delhi Airport on Friday 20th June at mid- day. The third flight again of ‘Mahan Air’, chartered flight arrived at Delhi at 0500 h on 21th June 2025 with 300 plus Indians on board. They had boarded the flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The fourth flight from Mashhad also arrived at 1630 h carrying 310 Indian nationals also landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.
Meanwhile, there was also distress call from Indians nationals from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for evacuation. As Israeli air space was closed and there were no commercial flights, Indian mission in Tel Aviv contacted Indian embassy in Jordan and with clearance from Israel,160 Indian nationals were taken in a convoy across Jordan Israel border to Amman. They reported to officials that the situation in Israel was dangerous and they had to live in bunkers and fortified safe houses as Iranian missiles were raining. Indian government liaised with Israel government which permitted evacuation by road and provided buses till Border. The Charter flight landed safely on 22 June at New Delhi.
As at 1200 h on 23 June 2025, 1713 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran and Israel with help of chartered flights from War zone. Iran government had opened the closed air space for flights to India as a mark of goodwill and friendship. Grateful returnees have thanked PM Narendra Modi, Government of India, Indian Embassy staff at Tehran, Indian embassy at Armenia and Turkmenistan and Indian embassy at Israel. The students have also thanked Government of Iran for opening the air space and support during continuing conflict between Iran and Israel.
Op Sindhu has been temporarily been suspended as Iran space has been closed from early morning of 22 June 2025 as US B 2 bombers have carried out heavy bombardments at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear facilities of Iran. GBU 57 bunker busters have caused deep penetration and heavy destruction.
Naved ,a second year MBBS student from Urmia University ,Tehran said ‘ I am from Kashmir valley and I was in Tehran since 2023 pursuing Medicine .I am back home safely. Thanks to Government of India and Indian embassy staff in Tehran. Another student Parveen also thanked PM Modi and Indian government for safe evacuation from Iran under War conditions. There were explosions all over and firing of Anti -aircraft guns. Arvind Shukla, a researcher from Hebrew University at Tel Aviv, who was evacuated and reached India on Sunday praised the smooth and carefully planned process by Indian embassy officials under adverse circumstances.
They accompanied us till we crossed in to Jordan and later we were taken to Amman. Embassy officials at Jordan were also very cooperative Several other returnees also were grateful to Indian government which was the first country to evacuate its nationals under fire. Parents of students also were jubilant and thanked God that their wards were back home safely courtesy Indian government. Some students from Kashmir protested that they should have been provided with Aircrafts to Srinagar and were not happy to travel by bus.
The Government of India continues to accord priority to the safety and security of Indian national abroad. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely and have established 24/7 control rooms at Tehran and Tel Aviv. Indian embassies in Iran and Israel will continue providing assistance to Indian nationals in crisis.
Operation Sindhu is in league with previous high-profile rescue / evacuation missions undertaken by India for safety of its diaspora. To recollect few daring missions, Mission Air Lift ( 1,70,000 Indians were evacuated from Kuwait in 1990 as Iraq invaded Kuwait), Mission Sukoon ( 2280 Indians evacuated from Beirut in 2006 ), Mission Safe homecoming ( from Libya, 15,400 Indians were airlifted) , Misson Rahat ( 5600 persons evacuated from Yemen crisis in 2016),Mission Devi shakti ( 565 persons including 97 foreign nationals were evacuated after Taliban takeover from Kabul in 2021 ) Mission Ganga ( 22, 500 Indian Foreign nationals were evacuated from Ukraine safely ) .
The ministry of External Affairs has assured that no willing Indians will be left in War zone either in Iran or Israel. The balanced policy of India has been appreciated by both belligerents. Operation Sindhu will be soon resumed. Let, s hope the peace prevails in West Asia.
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