Rising geopolitical tensions expose safety concerns for Indian students overseas

Global unrest—from Ukraine to Iran—has spotlighted the escalating risks faced by Indian students studying abroad, particularly in regions caught in geopolitical crossfire.

In Iran, as the Israel–Iran conflict triggered missile and drone strikes around June 13, the Indian government launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate at least 1,428 nationals, including hundreds of medical students.

The first flight carrying 110 students landed in Delhi on June 19, and successive flights brought home a total of 285 and 311 evacuees via Mashhad, hinting at thousands more potentially stranded.

Iranian authorities even opened their airspace to Indian planes to assist evacuation efforts—a rare diplomatic gesture signaling the gravity of the crisis.

Many students reported harrowing experiences of missile launches, blackouts, and survival under siege. One final-year MBBS student at Urmia University said: “We came here to become doctors, not to learn to survive missile attacks,” underscoring the harsh reality of choosing conflict-prone study destinations.

Similarly, the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war forced over 18,000 Indian students—largely medical aspirants—into sudden crisis.

Their evacuation via Operation Ganga was marred by delayed advisories and logistical bottlenecks, with students recounting perilous travel to European borders and unreliable embassy support.

These repeated disruptions highlight a pattern: educational opportunity abroad at times comes with unrecognized security vulnerabilities. Though the Indian government has responded swiftly, students still face uncertainty and fear.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, over 23,000 Indian students are currently pursuing medical education abroad.

The factors behind this trend include intense competition for MBBS seats in India—where NEET-UG sees over a million applicants—and significantly lower tuition fees overseas.

But as recent events show, pursuing a foreign education carries risks beyond academics.

Experts say the key to mitigating these risks lies in better-informed choices, thorough guidance from educational consultants and embassy channels, and strengthened bilateral frameworks ensuring student safety under duress.