India Evacuates Over 4,400 Nationals from Iran and Israel Amid Escalating Tensions
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed the successful evacuation of 4,415 individuals, including Indian nationals and foreign citizens, from conflict-hit Iran and Israel under Operation Sindhu, launched on June 18 in response to escalating hostilities in the region.
According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the operation involved 19 special flights, including three Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, and was executed with the cooperation of multiple countries. Of the total evacuees, 3,597 were from Iran and 818 from Israel. The operation also facilitated the return of 14 OCI cardholders, nine Nepali nationals, four Sri Lankan citizens, and one Iranian spouse of an Indian national.
Flights were operated from Mashhad (Iran), Yerevan (Armenia), and Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). Due to the closure of Israeli airspace, Indian nationals in Israel were transported overland to Jordan and Egypt, from where they were flown back to India. The MEA expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia, and Turkmenistan for their support in facilitating the evacuations.
A recent flight from Yerevan carrying 173 Indian nationals landed in New Delhi on June 26 at 10:30 PM, marking one of the final legs of the operation. Earlier, a flight from Mashhad brought back 272 Indians and three Nepalese nationals, while another carried 296 Indians and four Nepalese nationals.
Operation Sindhu was initiated following a dramatic escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict, including missile and drone exchanges and the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites on June 22. The MEA has reiterated India’s commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, welcoming reports of a ceasefire and stating that future evacuation decisions will be based on evolving ground conditions.
India has approximately 10,000 nationals in Iran and 40,000 in Israel, prompting the government to act swiftly to ensure their safety. The MEA emphasized that all Indian nationals who expressed a desire to return have now been evacuated.
The operation underscores India’s growing capacity for rapid-response diplomacy and humanitarian coordination in volatile international environments.
