Amidst the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, India has launched "Operation Sindhu" to evacuate its citizens from the region. In a significant development, Iran has eased its airspace restrictions to allow for the safe passage of Indian nationals. The first of three chartered evacuation flights carrying Indian nationals, mostly students, from conflict-hit Iran arrived in Delhi late Friday night.

The initiative comes as tensions escalate in the Middle East, with continued military strikes inside Iran and a widening scope of conflict. The Indian government has expressed its commitment to the safety and security of its citizens abroad, taking proactive steps to ensure their safe return.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the majority of the approximately 1,000 Indians being evacuated are students and pilgrims who were initially moved to Mashhad. These individuals were relocated from Tehran to Qom and subsequently to Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran near the Turkmenistan border, to facilitate their departure.

Mohammad Javad Hosseini, the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy in Delhi, stated that Iran views Indians as their "own people" and is making special arrangements to open its airspace for their safe passage, despite it being closed due to the conflict. He also indicated that additional evacuation flights could be arranged if needed in the coming days.

The first flight from Mashhad has already landed in Delhi. Two more flights are scheduled to arrive on Saturday, one from Mashhad and another from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The MEA has expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in facilitating the evacuation process.

Prior to these chartered flights, 110 Indian students were evacuated from northern Iran and transported to Armenia, from where they were flown to Delhi. This initial evacuation was also part of Operation Sindhu, demonstrating the Indian government's multi-pronged approach to ensuring the safety of its citizens.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association released a statement expressing their heartfelt thanks to the Indian government and all concerned authorities for their timely intervention and support, acknowledging the great relief for families anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones.

Many students who have returned described the situation in Iran as "bad" and noted that people there are extremely "scared". One student praised the Indian government for evacuating them directly from their dormitories, exceeding their expectations.

In addition to the evacuation efforts from Iran, the Indian government has also decided to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel who wish to leave. The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv is making arrangements for this evacuation, which will involve travel via land borders and then by air to India.

The Indian government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran and Israel due to security concerns stemming from tensions between the two nations.