In the early hours of Thursday, June 19, 2025, a special flight carrying 110 Indian students who were evacuated from war-torn Iran landed safely in Delhi. The students had been moved out of Tehran amidst escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and were transited to Armenia as part of "Operation Sindhu," a government-coordinated evacuation effort. The arrival brought immense relief to families who had been anxiously waiting at the airport for their loved ones.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the safe evacuation, stating that the Indian students residing in Tehran were moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy. According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, "India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran," emphasizing the government's commitment to the safety and security of its citizens abroad.
Many of the students on board, approximately 90, were from Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for launching the evacuation effort and stated that they remain hopeful that all remaining students will be evacuated soon.
The students who arrived in Delhi recounted their experiences in Iran, describing a tense and fearful environment. Mir Khalif, one of the evacuated students, shared, "We could see missiles. There was a war going on. Our neighborhood was bombed. We were very afraid of the situation. I hope we will never see those days again." Another student, Ali Akbar from Delhi, reported witnessing a missile and a drone falling while traveling by bus to Armenia, adding that "Tehran has been destroyed."
Parvez Alam, a resident of Bulandshahr and father of Sameer Alam, an Urmia Medical University student, stated, “It has been two years since he has been studying in Urmia. Everything was fine but recently the situation deteriorated. We were under a lot of stress. But the Indian government evacuated students to Armenia where they were kept in good hotels. We are thankful to the Indian government."
India's swift action to evacuate its citizens has been praised, with many expressing gratitude for the government's intervention. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh assured that more evacuations are underway, with additional planes ready to bring back Indian nationals from Iran and neighboring Turkmenistan. The Indian Embassy in Iran has been providing support to Indian nationals, facilitating their relocation from conflict-affected regions to safer locations within Iran and arranging their subsequent evacuation.
The evacuation process has also received support from other countries, with the Indian authorities expressing appreciation to the Iranian and Armenian governments for their assistance. Azerbaijan has also reportedly agreed to facilitate India's evacuation operation.
The successful arrival of the first evacuation flight marks a significant step in ensuring the safety of Indian nationals in Iran. The government has advised those remaining in Iran to stay in contact with the Indian Embassy and is closely monitoring the situation to provide further assistance as needed. This operation follows similar efforts undertaken by the Indian government in the past, such as Operation Ajay in Israel in 2023 and Operation Ganga in Ukraine in 2022, highlighting India's commitment to protecting its citizens in conflict zones.
