In a significant development amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the first evacuation flight carrying 110 Indian nationals, including 90 students from Jammu and Kashmir, successfully landed in New Delhi on Thursday, June 19.
The group had been stranded in Iran and was brought back under Operation Sindhu, a mission launched by the Indian government to ensure the safety and evacuation of its citizens from the region.
The evacuees were flown from Yerevan, Armenia, on IndiGo flight 6E 9487, which departed Zvartnots International Airport on June 18 at 14:55 IST and arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19.
The evacuation followed coordinated efforts by Indian diplomatic missions in both Iran and Armenia. The students had earlier been moved out of Tehran for safety reasons amid rising hostilities, in arrangements made by the Indian Embassy.
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Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the evacuees at Indira Gandhi International Airport upon their arrival.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that this operation was part of broader efforts to assist Indian nationals amid deteriorating security conditions in Iran. Over the past several days, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has been helping citizens relocate from high-risk areas to safer regions, ahead of their evacuation.
Operation Sindhu begins 🇮🇳.
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 18, 2025
India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a… pic.twitter.com/8WJom7wh5f
The Indian government expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating the evacuation process smoothly.
Officials reiterated that the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad remains a top priority. Indian citizens in Iran have been advised to remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, as well as with the 24×7 Control Room set up by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.
