India evacuates nearly 3,000 nationals from Iran and Israel amid regional conflict

India has successfully evacuated close to 3,000 of its citizens from both Iran and Israel through coordinated military and diplomatic efforts amid escalating regional tensions.

Operation Sindhu, launched on June 18, oversaw the evacuation of over 2,200 Indians stranded in Iran and Israel, with the figure rising to nearly 3,000 by June 24.

In Iran, at least 2,295 people were brought back via chartered flights from Mashhad, following an initial overland route through Armenia. India’s use of Iranian airspace—rare given current hostilities—was hailed as a diplomatic success.

From Israel, more than 600 citizens and workers, including care-givers and construction staff, were safely evacuated using IAF C‑17 aircraft.

Some groups crossed land borders into Jordan and Egypt before being airlifted to India. The first batch of over 160 evacuees from Israel arrived via Amman, followed by additional flights from Sharm-el-Sheikh, as regional airspace closures briefly disrupted schedules.

Evacuees recounted scenes of fear and uncertainty. In Iran, students and pilgrims described hearing "non-stop bombardment" for hours and witnessing missiles and drones overhead.

One medical student shared, “We saw missiles in the sky and heard bombs in our neighbourhood… we were petrified.” Families and evacuees expressed profound relief and gratitude upon landing back home.

Amid logistical challenges, a group of Kashmiri students faced repeated bus breakdowns en route from Delhi to Srinagar. While critical of local authorities, they praised central government efforts for bringing them back safely.

The evacuations involved close coordination between India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian embassies in Tehran, Jerusalem, Yerevan, and Amman, and the rapid deployment of IAF C‑17 and A320 aircraft.

Evacuees were welcomed and escorted home by ministers such as Kirti Vardhan Singh and Pabitra Margherita, with airport receptions marked by chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai."