In a significant development under India’s evacuation initiative ‘Operation Sindhu’, a special flight carrying 290 Indian students, mostly from Jammu and Kashmir, safely landed in Delhi late Friday night. The operation was launched to bring home Indian nationals stranded in Iran and Israel amid escalating hostilities in the region.
The evacuated students had been moved to Mashhad from Tehran following the recent Israeli strikes. The evacuation is being facilitated by Iranian carrier Mahan Air, with arrangements coordinated by the Government of India.
In a remarkable diplomatic gesture, Iran temporarily lifted its airspace restrictions to allow three special flights to operate for the evacuation, despite ongoing closures. Friday night’s flight was the first of the three scheduled under this exceptional arrangement. Two more flights — one from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and another later in the day — are set to follow, bringing the total number of returnees to around 1,000.
“We are extremely thankful to the Government of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, and all concerned authorities for their swift and timely action. It’s a huge relief for families who were living in anxiety,” said the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association in a statement.
The situation remains critical, with thousands of Indian nationals, primarily students, still stranded in Iran. On Thursday, 110 Indian students were rerouted via Armenia and Doha before arriving safely in Delhi.
Speaking at a media briefing, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, assured continued cooperation. “We consider Indians as our own. Though our airspace is officially closed, we are making exceptions for the safe evacuation of Indian nationals,” he said.
As regional tensions continue to rise, ‘Operation Sindhu’ stands as a testament to New Delhi’s swift diplomatic outreach and crisis management in ensuring the safety of its citizens abroad.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)