Israel-Iran Conflict: India’s Operation Sindhu For Evacuating Citizens From Iran Begins
India is flying back 110 of its citizens who evacuated from Iran and were stranded in Armenia. The evacuation is taking place under Operation Sindhu. Image courtesy: X.com/@MEAIndia
As conflict between Iran and Israel intensifies, India has launched a coordinated evacuation mission to ensure the safety of its nationals in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday (June 18) announced the successful evacuation of 110 Indian students from northern Iran, as part of the initial phase of Operation Sindhu.
The students, evacuated by road to Armenia, boarded a flight back to India on June 18. India has also established emergency helplines in both Tehran and New Delhi, and is working with local authorities to help Indian citizens in Iran relocate to safer zones ahead of planned departures.
What is Operation Sindhu and who has been evacuated so far?
Operation Sindhu is India’s formal evacuation effort to bring back citizens caught in the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, now in its sixth day. The first phase of the mission saw the rescue of 110 Indian students from northern Iran.
These students were moved by road across the border into Armenia on June 17, in coordination with the Indian embassies in Tehran and Yerevan.
They boarded a special flight from Yerevan at 1455 hrs on June 18, and were scheduled to arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19.
The government expressed its gratitude to both Iranian and Armenian authorities for facilitating this safe passage amid the regional hostilities.
What is India doing to help its nationals amid Iran-Israel conflict?
According to the MEA, the Indian Embassy in Iran is actively assisting Indian nationals still present in conflict-affected areas. Measures include:
- Relocating citizens from high-risk zones to relatively safer areas within Iran
- Assessing routes and options for further evacuations based on conditions on the ground
- Operating 24×7 emergency helplines in Tehran and Delhi to provide real-time support to individuals seeking help or information
The MEA reiterated that the safety of Indian citizens abroad remains a top priority, and the situation is being monitored continuously.
How can Indians in Iran seek help during the ongoing conflict?
The Indian government has issued multiple helpline numbers for Indians in Iran and their families in India. Here are the details:
Embassy of India in Tehran:
- For voice calls: +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109
- For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709
For regional offices:
- Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036
- Zahedan: +98 9396356649
- Email: cons.tehran@mea.gov.in
MEA 24×7 Control Room (New Delhi):
- Toll-Free: 800118797
- Landline: +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905
- WhatsApp: +91-9968291988
- Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in
