India Evacuates Nearly 3,000 Citizens from Iran and Israel Amid Escalating Tensions.
India has successfully evacuated nearly 3,000 nationals from conflict-hit Iran and Israel as part of Operation Sindhu, launched in response to rising regional tensions following Israel’s airstrikes and Iranian missile retaliation.
Evacuations from Israel via Jordan and Egypt
Over 600 Indians were brought back to New Delhi early Tuesday on multiple evacuation flights operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and chartered aircraft. Many had first traveled by land to Jordan and Egypt from Israel.
A group of 161 Indians who crossed into Jordan arrived in Delhi at 8:20 am on a chartered flight from Amman, received by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.
Another batch of 165 Indians, also evacuated from Jordan, landed at 8:45 am aboard an IAF C-17 aircraft, welcomed by Minister of State L. Murugan.
Separately, around 300 Indians who crossed Israel’s Taba border into Egypt were airlifted from Sharm el-Sheikh by the IAF.
Officials noted that the flights faced delays due to airspace restrictions following Iranian strikes late Monday.
Continued Flights from Iran
Evacuations from Iran also continued, with 292 Indians flown from Mashhad to Delhi in the early hours of Tuesday. In total, 2,295 citizens have been evacuated from Iran over the past week, many of them students and pilgrims.
Earlier evacuations involved moving people from Iran to Armenia by road, before direct flights resumed after Tehran temporarily lifted airspace restrictions.
Operation Sindhu: A Coordinated Effort
Launched last week, Operation Sindhu aims to safely return all Indians from the escalating West Asia conflict zones. Citizens in Israel were advised to cross by land into Jordan or Egypt, from where they could be flown home.
In Israel, over 32,000 Indians reside, including thousands of caregivers and construction workers.
In Iran, the Indian population is estimated at 10,000, including many students and religious pilgrims.
The Indian embassy in Tehran has assured that all citizens wishing to return will be evacuated.
Comments are closed.