Key Points

India has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran amid escalating tensions. The first batch of 110 students was safely moved to Armenia before flying back to New Delhi. The government thanked Iran and Armenia for their support in the evacuation process. The MEA urged remaining Indian nationals in Iran to stay connected with embassy helplines for assistance.

Key Points: India Evacuates 110 Students from Iran in Operation Sindhu

  • 110 Indian students evacuated from northern Iran
  • Special flight from Armenia to New Delhi
  • India thanks Iran and Armenia for cooperation
  • MEA advises nationals to stay in touch with embassy
3 min read

India launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran

India launches Operation Sindhu to rescue 110 nationals from Iran amid rising tensions, with students safely crossing into Armenia.

"India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of her nationals abroad. – MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal"

New Delhi, June 18

The Indian government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran in view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

The Indian government has evacuated 110 Indian students so far from Iran through Armenia, who will reach India in the early hours of June 19.

In a post on X, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, "India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a special flight and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025. India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of her nationals abroad."

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1935343417510211749

A press release from the Ministry of External Affairs reads, "As a first step, the Indian Embassy has evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran, assisting them in safely crossing over into Armenia on 17th June 2025. The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia. These students departed Yerevan on a special flight at 1455 hrs on 18th June 2025, and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025, as part of the initial stages of Operation Sindhu."

The Indian government also expressed gratitude to the Iranian and Armenian government for ensuring smooth facilitation of the evacuation process.

The release stated, "The Government of India is grateful to the Governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process."

"India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options," the release added.

The MEA further suggested the Indian nationals in Iran to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline.

"Indian nationals in Iran are advised to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24x7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi," the release said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Proud of our government's swift action! 👏 This reminds me of Operation Ganga during Ukraine war. Our MEA team works tirelessly to bring citizens home safely. Hope all Indians in Iran register with the embassy immediately.
P
Priya M.
Good initiative but why only 110 students evacuated so far? There must be thousands of Indians in Iran. The process seems slow compared to previous evacuations. Hope they scale up quickly before situation worsens.
A
Amit S.
Smart move using Armenia as transit point! Our diplomats are showing great presence of mind in difficult circumstances. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
S
Sunita R.
My nephew is among those evacuated! Our family is so relieved. The embassy staff helped them cross the border safely despite tense situation. Big thanks to Iran and Armenia governments too for cooperation.
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Vikram J.
Hope they're arranging special flights from other parts of Iran too. Many Indian workers are in southern cities near Persian Gulf. Their safety is equally important. MEA should update evacuation plans regularly.
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Neha P.
Operation Sindhu is timely but government must also focus on preventing Indians from traveling to conflict zones for work/studies. Need stricter advisories and verification processes for visa approvals to such countries.

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