The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a press release issued on Friday, announced the successful completion of Operation Sindhu—a major evacuation effort launched by the Government of India to bring back its nationals from conflict-affected regions in Iran and Israel. The operation, which commenced on June 18, was undertaken in response to the escalating security situation in West Asia.
According to the MEA, a total of 4,415 Indian nationals were evacuated—3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel—using 19 special evacuation flights, including three Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft. The coordinated efforts were supported by Indian diplomatic missions across the region and were made possible with the cooperation of several foreign governments.
The press release also noted that in addition to Indian citizens, 14 Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, 9 Nepali nationals, 4 Sri Lankan nationals, and one Iranian spouse of an Indian national were also safely evacuated. Among those rescued were over 1,500 women and 500 children, underscoring the humanitarian nature and urgency of the mission.
For the Iran segment of the operation, Indian embassies in Tehran, Yerevan, and Ashgabat coordinated the movement of Indian nationals across land borders into Armenia and Turkmenistan on June 17 and 18. The first evacuation flights began on June 18. A key breakthrough occurred on June 20, when Iran agreed to reopen its airspace for evacuation flights following India’s request. This enabled the operation to proceed swiftly via Mashhad. Between June 18 and 26, 15 evacuation flights brought Indian citizens back to New Delhi from Yerevan, Ashgabat, and Mashhad. The evacuees included a diverse group of individuals—students, workers, professionals, pilgrims, and fishermen—from more than 15 Indian states.
The Israel phase of Operation Sindhu began on June 23. Indian embassies in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo facilitated the safe passage of Indian nationals into Jordan and Egypt through land corridors. From Amman and Sharm al Sheikh, 818 Indian citizens were evacuated via four special flights between June 22 and 25, including three IAF-operated C-17 aircraft.
The MEA stated that the evacuation efforts were paused on June 25, following the reopening of regional airspace. It added that any further action would be determined based on developments in the ongoing West Asia crisis.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Operation Sindhu is yet another demonstration of the Government’s unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of Indian citizens abroad,” the MEA said. The ministry also extended its gratitude to the governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia, and Turkmenistan for their crucial support and cooperation.
Indian diplomatic missions remain in close contact with local authorities and Indian communities across the West Asia region to ensure their continued safety and well-being, the release concluded.