'Evacuated from our doors': 110 Indian students return home from Iran as tensions with Israel escalate
Welcomed with relief, many students described the situation in Iran as “bad” and “critical”, with locals gripped by fear
- Jun 19, 2025,
- Updated Jun 19, 2025 11:24 AM IST
A special flight carrying 110 Indian students evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu landed in New Delhi early Wednesday, as the government stepped up rescue efforts amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
Welcomed with relief, many students described the situation in Iran as “bad” and “critical”, with locals gripped by fear. “We are happy to return here, but we are also worried about our studies,” said Sheikh Afsa, one of the evacuees. “The (Indian) government literally evacuated us from our dormitory, from our doors. We didn’t even expect this much.”
Operation Sindhu, announced by the Ministry of External Affairs, was launched to evacuate Indian nationals from conflict-hit Iran. According to MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the students were moved from northern Iran to Armenia and flown to Delhi from Yerevan on June 18.
One student, now safely home, told ANI, “We didn’t see any such thing in Urmia, but in other places across Iran, the situation was bad. The Government of India helped a lot; that is why we are back home.”
Another student urged the Indian Embassy to act swiftly for others still stranded. “We thank the Indian Embassy for evacuating us at the right time, but we have one more appeal: that all of our brothers and sisters who are stranded in Isfahan and Tehran be evacuated as soon as possible.”
A fourth-year student from Jammu and Kashmir described the evacuation as “smooth” and expressed gratitude for the government’s support. “We are sad we had to leave our studies... but thankful to be safe. I hope the war will end soon. I request our CM to help us reach our homes quickly. After travelling through three countries, we are not ready for a long bus ride.”
The return of Indian students marks the first wave of evacuations under Operation Sindhu, with more missions likely as the regional crisis deepens.
(With agency inputs)
A special flight carrying 110 Indian students evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu landed in New Delhi early Wednesday, as the government stepped up rescue efforts amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
Welcomed with relief, many students described the situation in Iran as “bad” and “critical”, with locals gripped by fear. “We are happy to return here, but we are also worried about our studies,” said Sheikh Afsa, one of the evacuees. “The (Indian) government literally evacuated us from our dormitory, from our doors. We didn’t even expect this much.”
Operation Sindhu, announced by the Ministry of External Affairs, was launched to evacuate Indian nationals from conflict-hit Iran. According to MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the students were moved from northern Iran to Armenia and flown to Delhi from Yerevan on June 18.
One student, now safely home, told ANI, “We didn’t see any such thing in Urmia, but in other places across Iran, the situation was bad. The Government of India helped a lot; that is why we are back home.”
Another student urged the Indian Embassy to act swiftly for others still stranded. “We thank the Indian Embassy for evacuating us at the right time, but we have one more appeal: that all of our brothers and sisters who are stranded in Isfahan and Tehran be evacuated as soon as possible.”
A fourth-year student from Jammu and Kashmir described the evacuation as “smooth” and expressed gratitude for the government’s support. “We are sad we had to leave our studies... but thankful to be safe. I hope the war will end soon. I request our CM to help us reach our homes quickly. After travelling through three countries, we are not ready for a long bus ride.”
The return of Indian students marks the first wave of evacuations under Operation Sindhu, with more missions likely as the regional crisis deepens.
(With agency inputs)