MOS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh with evacuated students at Delhi airport (Photo: MEA)
New Delhi: As the conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv rages on, India on Wednesday launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its nationals from conflict-torn Iran, with first batch of 110 students safely landed in Delhi.
The ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said: “The government has been taking several steps since the last few days for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran amid the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.”
The Indian Embassy in Tehran evacuated 110 students from Urmia University, Iran, and assisted them to cross over to Yerevan, Armenia, via land routes a day ago.
Of 110 students who have been landed at New Delhi airport on Thursday, 94 of them were from Jammu and Kashmir, while the rest were from Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
At the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received them along with the students’ families.
Kirti Vardhan Singh said more people are being evacuated.
“Operation Sindhu brings people home. 110 Indian students evacuated from Iran under #OperationSindhu have safely arrived in New Delhi on a special flight from Yerevan, Armenia. MoS @KVSinghMPGonda received them at the airport. Government of India remains committed to the safety of Indian nationals abroad,” Jaiswal said in a post on X.
“The Government of India is grateful to the Governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process,” the MEA spokesperson said.
“India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad.”
“As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options.”
“Indian nationals in Iran are advised to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24x7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.”
Emergency Helpline numbers of Embassy of India in Tehran:
i. For call only : +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109
ii. For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709
iii. Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036
iv. Zahedan: +98 9396356649
v. Email- [email protected]
Helpline numbers of 24 X 7 Control Room set-up by Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi:
800118797 (Toll free) , +91-11-23012113 , +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905
WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 ; Email- [email protected]
