Operation Sindhu: India Airlifts 4,200 Nationals from Middle East

As conflict escalates in parts of the Middle East, India has launched a large-scale evacuation mission, Operation Sindhu, to rescue its nationals stranded in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in coordination with multiple countries, has successfully brought home over 4,200 people in just over a week since the mission began on June 18.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while briefing the press on Thursday, shared that 3,426 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran and 818 from Israel. The operation, which also assisted nationals from neighbouring countries, was carried out through a complex series of airlifts involving several international transit points.

“So far, we have operated 14 special flights from Mashhad, Yerevan (Armenia), and Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) to evacuate citizens from Iran,” Jaiswal said, adding that India has an estimated 10,000 citizens in Iran and around 40,000 in Israel.

Beyond Indian citizens, the mission also evacuated 11 OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders, 9 Nepalese nationals, several Sri Lankan citizens, and even the Iranian spouse of an Indian national, reflecting India’s broader humanitarian commitment. The final flight from Armenia, part of the Iran evacuation phase, was expected to land in India on Thursday evening.

The rescue from Israel proved more challenging due to restricted airspace. Indian nationals were transported by land to neighbouring Jordan and Egypt. From there, four special flights were operated to bring them safely back to India.
Jaiswal praised the coordinated efforts of India’s diplomatic missions in the region and extended gratitude to the governments of Iran, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Jordan, and Egypt for their crucial support in facilitating the operation.

“We are thankful to all the governments who worked with us to open borders and airspace at short notice. Their cooperation made this mission possible,” he stated.

With the bulk of evacuations now complete, Operation Sindhu stands as another testament to India’s growing capacity to protect its diaspora during global emergencies. The mission joins a long list of high-stakes evacuation efforts led by India in recent years, demonstrating both diplomatic finesse and logistical prowess.

Also Read: Operation Sindhu: 3,174 Indians Evacuated from Iran and Israel via 14 Special Flights