The first evacuation flight under Operation Sindhu, carrying 110 Indian nationals, landed in New Delhi from Yerevan, Armenia, on June 19, amid the intensifying Iran-Israel conflict. Launched by India to safeguard its citizens, Operation Sindhu focuses on the safe evacuation of Indians from Iran.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Indian students in Tehran were safely relocated through efforts coordinated by the Indian Embassy. “Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy,” the ministry stated.
The Indian students departed Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan on a special flight at 14:55 IST on June 18 and arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19.
Announcing the development on Twitter, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Operation Sindhu begins. India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. On June 17, 110 students from northern Iran crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia. They departed from Yerevan on a special flight and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19, 2025. India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of her nationals abroad.”
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 🇮🇳 remains committed to the safety of… pic.twitter.com/GwhI5R26DE
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 19, 2025
Indian authorities expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for their support in facilitating the evacuation process.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting Indian nationals in moving from conflict-affected areas to safer locations within the country, while coordinating their onward evacuation through available channels.
BREAKING: India launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran pic.twitter.com/ywLUC31kWT
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 18, 2025
Reaffirming its commitment to the safety of Indian citizens abroad, the ministry urged those still in Iran to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the MEA’s 24×7 Control Room in New Delhi.
Emergency Contacts:
Embassy of India, Tehran
Phone (call only): +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109
WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709
Regional Contacts:
Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036
Zahedan: +98 9396356649
Email: cons.tehran@mea.gov.in
24×7 Control Room, MEA, New Delhi
WhatsApp: +91 9968291988
Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in
Further phases of Operation Sindhu are expected to continue as the situation evolves.
