Operation Sindhu: Flight carrying Indian citizens from Iran lands in Iran amid rising tensions in the Middle East

New Delhi (India) June 21: A plane carrying 290 Indian students primarily from Jammu and Kashmir, reached the Delhi Airport from Mashhad, Iran. As tensions between Israel and Iran increase, the Indian government has started Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from the Middle Eastern nation.

Arun Kumar Chatterjee, the ministry of external affairs' (MEA) secretary (CPV & OIA) received the flight. He verified that 190 of the evacuees were from Jammu and Kashmir and the remaining individuals were from Haryana, Delhi, and West Bengal.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said, "Heartfelt thanks to the Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, and all concerned authorities for their timely intervention and support. A great relief for families who had been anxiously awaiting their return" appreciating the government for their efforts.

Iran extended its airspace to help India's evacuation efforts as an exceptional gesture. Indian authorities had previously arranged for planes run by an Iranian airline to transport students from Tehran to Mashhad.

Iran had closed its airspace until further notice after Israel launched airstrikes on several locations around Iran, including Tehran, the country's capital, on June 13.

There were two more flights which reached India at around three in the morning, one from Asghgabat, Turkmenistan which brought around 1,000 Indian citizens home. Bharat Mata ki Jai and Hindustan Zindabad were chanted by visibly relieved passengers as they arrived at Delhi airport as part of Operation Sindhu.

Randhir Jaiswal, Ministry of External Affairs official posted, “Operation Sindhu continues. A special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, landed in New Delhi at 0300 hrs on 21st June, bringing Indians from Iran home” on social media platform X.

India said on Saturday that it will expand its evacuation operations in Iran to include people from Sri Lanka and Nepal after receiving formal requests from the two neighbouring countries.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran said, “In response to the requests from the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka,” on X.

Operation Sindhu is India's evacuation effort to return Indian citizens who are stuck in high-risk areas because of Iran's worsening security situation.

The MEA and the Indian Embassy in Tehran have been collaborating closely to ensure the safe return of Indian citizens, especially pilgrims and students.

The administration had already evacuated 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University, 90 of whom were from Jammu and Kashmir. They were flown back to New Delhi after first being taken to Armenia.

More evacuation efforts are expected as Operation Sindhu continues as the Iran-Israel confrontation enters its second week. To guarantee the safe repatriation of every Indian national remaining in the area, central and state officials are currently working closely together.

Aadrika Tayal