Amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, Tehran has granted exclusive access to its closed airspace for Indian evacuation flights.
The Indian government has launched an emergency evacuation programme, named Operation Sindhu, to rescue at least 1,000 Indians stranded in Iranian cities that came under Israeli attacks in two days.
According to reports, the first flight carrying Indian nationals from Iran is expected to land at Delhi Airport around 11 PM tonight. Two other flights are scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Saturday morning, with an additional one due in the evening.
Iran has closed its airspace to most international flights due to ongoing military confrontations between Iranian and Israeli forces, involving missiles and drones. However, India has been granted special access through a dedicated flight path to evacuate its citizens.
On Wednesday, India initiated Operation Sindhu to repatriate Indian nationals from Iran as tensions between the two countries intensified. Iranian diplomatic officials in Delhi confirmed that Iran’s foreign ministry is closely coordinating with India’s embassy in Tehran, particularly after some students sustained injuries.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that "India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of its nationals abroad."
Iran is home to more than 4,000 Indian citizens, including around 2,000 students. According to the MEA, India’s embassy in Tehran successfully evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran on Tuesday, facilitating their safe passage to Armenia. The students travelled overland to Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, with assistance from Indian diplomatic missions in both countries.
