Operation Sindhu: Over 4,400 Indians Evacuated From Iran, Israel In 19 Special Flights
Last Updated:
Launched on June 18, the operation so far facilitated the safe return of 4,415 Indian nationals, 3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel
The Government of India concluded the first phase of Operation Sindhu, evacuating over 4,400 Indian nationals from Iran and Israel, in a swift and coordinated response to escalating tensions in West Asia, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Launched on June 18, the operation so far facilitated the safe return of 4,415 Indian nationals—3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel—through 19 special evacuation flights, including three IAF C-17 aircraft.
'This evacuation reflects the Government of India's deep commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad," the MEA said in a statement issued on Friday.
'Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance, Operation Sindhu is another demonstration of this commitment," it added.
The operation also extended support to foreign nationals, evacuating 14 OCI cardholders, 9 Nepali nationals, 4 Sri Lankan nationals, and one Iranian spouse of an Indian citizen. Among the Indian evacuees were over 1,500 women and 500 children.
In Iran, Indian missions in Tehran, Yerevan, and Ashgabat coordinated the evacuation through land border crossings to Armenia and Turkmenistan, with flights operating between June 18–26.
The bulk of these evacuations took place via Mashhad, after Iran reopened its airspace for Indian evacuation flights on June 20 at New Delhi's request.
'We thank the Government of Iran for this gesture," the MEA added, noting that evacuees included students, workers, professionals, pilgrims, and fishermen from over 15 Indian states.
The Israel leg of the operation began on June 23, with Indian missions in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo assisting nationals to cross into Jordan and Egypt.
From June 22–25, a total of 818 Indians were airlifted from Amman and Sharm al Sheikh, including via three IAF aircraft.
With regional airspace reopening, the Indian government halted evacuation operations on June 25, but said it would 'take further action based on the evolving situation in West Asia."
The MEA extended gratitude to the governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia, and Turkmenistan for their support, affirming that Indian missions will continue to stay engaged with both host governments and the Indian diaspora in the region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
23 minutes ago
- India.com
What Did PM Modi And Shubhanshu Shukla Talk About? From 16 Sunrise And Sunset To Astronaut Strapping His Feet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a conversation with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Astronaut, who made a new record by becoming the first Indian to go to the International Space Station (ISS). The chat took place through video conferencing and was streamed live. Shubhanshu Shukla is currently on a space mission, orbiting 400 kilometres above the Earth. Here are the five things PM Modi and Shubhanshu Shukla talked about: 1- 'Hearts Of 140 Crore Indians…' The initial thing that PM Modi told the astronaut was, 'You may be far from us, but the hearts of 140 crore Indians beat with you,' and congratulated Shubhanshu for raising the nation's pride globally. 'Your name itself carries the word 'Shubh' (auspicious). And your journey symbolises the direction in which 'New India' is heading,' he said. 2- PM Modi's Carrot Halwa Question The Prime Minister asked whether the carrot halwa that Shubhanshu Shukla carried from India had been shared with his fellow astronauts. The astronaut said that he brought along several traditional Indian delicacies to the space station, including carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and aam ras. He expressed his intent to offer his international colleagues a taste of India's rich culinary heritage. Shukla also informed PM Modi that the astronauts all sat together and enjoyed the dishes, which were very well received. 3- 16 Sunrise And Sunset The PM, stating that circumambulation, or 'parikrama', has been a revered Indian tradition for centuries, said that Shukla now had the rare honour of performing 'parikrama' of Mother Earth herself. PM Modi inquired which part of the Earth Shubhanshu might be orbiting over at that moment. Responding to that, the astronaut said a short while earlier, he had seen through the window that they were passing over Hawaii. He shared that they complete 16 orbits a day, witnessing 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets from space, an experience that continues to amaze him. 4- Did Shubhanshu Shukla Strap His Feet? Highlighting that Shubhanshu Shukla was the first Indian to be on board the ISS, the Prime Minister enquired with him about the contrast between his rigorous preparation on Earth and the actual conditions aboard the space station. The astronaut shared that despite knowing about zero gravity and the nature of experiments in advance, the reality in orbit was entirely different He remarked that the human body becomes so accustomed to gravity that even the smallest tasks in microgravity become unexpectedly complex. He humorously noted that during the conversation, he had to strap his feet down—otherwise, he would just float away. 5- Experiments In Space PM Modi asked whether any of the space experiments being conducted would benefit the agriculture or health sector in the future. Shubhanshu Shukla shared that, for the first time, Indian scientists have designed seven unique experiments which he has taken to the space station. He informed that the first experiment, scheduled for that day, focuses on stem cells and explained that in the absence of gravity, the body experiences muscle loss, and the experiment seeks to test whether specific supplements can prevent or delay this loss. He highlighted that the outcome of this study could directly help elderly people on Earth who face age-related muscle degeneration. Shubhanshu further stated that another experiment focuses on the growth of microalgae. He remarked that though microalgae are small in size, they are highly nutritious. He noted that if methods can be developed to grow them in larger quantities based on the findings in space, it could significantly aid food security on Earth. He underlined that one major advantage of conducting experiments in space is the accelerated pace of biological processes, enabling researchers to obtain results much faster than on Earth. Axiom 4 Mission Axiom 4 mission aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS on Thursday. The Dragon spacecraft was ahead of schedule, autonomously docking at 4:05 pm (IST) to the space-facing port of the space station's Harmony module. As per ANI, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary lifted off at Noon IST on June 25, on the SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Axiom-4 team will remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, engaging in science experiments, outreach, and commercial work.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Modi talks to Group Captain Shukla, says this mission is first step towards India's own space station
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a conversation with astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla , who is at the International Space Station, on Saturday in which the two discussed the experiments the latter is conducting during his stay and how it will benefit the country in sectors like agriculture and health. Modi emphasized that this is 'the first chapter' in the march towards the Gaganyaan mission and establishment of India's own space station in the near future. In an interaction that lasted 18 minutes, Shukla shared his experiences and challenges during his space journey. With the Indian flag as the background, India's second man in space said he is conducting seven unique experiments designed by Indian scientists, including stem cell research. Shukla's message to India's youth was to 'never stop trying and never give up'. Success, he said, will come sooner or later. 'Sky is never the limit. Not for me, not for you and not for the country,' he added. Prime Minister Modi said he sees Shukla's flight as a part of the goals of launching Gaganyaan, establishing India's own space station and landing an Indian on the moon. He emphasized that Shukla's experiences will help in this endeavour. Shukla assured the PM that he is absorbing all knowledge 'like a sponge' and his learnings will help in India's future missions. Live Events The prime minister said this mission will give impetus to India's Viksit Bharat program . 'India is going to open the doors to future space missions of the world. Now India will not just fly missions but prepare the stage for other space flights,' Modi said. Shukla said from space, earth is visible as one without any national boundaries and one gets the feeling of oneness with all its inhabitants. Expressing his gratitude towards 140 Crore Indians for their wishes, he said India appears grander in 3-D from space. Prime Minister Modi gave his good wishes to the astronaut and asked about his well-being. 'You are farthest from your motherland but let me assure you that you are close to the heart of all Indians… Though at present just the two of us are talking to each other, the feelings of 140 Crore Indians are with us. The enthusiasm and excitement of all Indians is a part of this,' Modi said. Shukla maintained that while growing up he had never imagined he would become an astronaut one day and the way India is marching ahead today makes this possible. He shared that he witnesses 16 sunrises and sunsets every day and the space station is moving at a speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour. Shukla said he has shared with fellow astronauts the gajar and moong halwa he is carrying with him. He wanted them to know about India's rich culinary heritage, he added.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
‘Sardaar Ji 3' row: BJP backs Diljit, calls him ‘national asset, global ambassador of Indian culture'
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come out in support of singer-cum-actor Diljit Dosanjh, stating that the 'politics of targeting the actor should stop' and that the artist is a 'national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture' Dosanjh's recent film 'Sardaar Ji 3' landed in controversy over the casting of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding immediate and strict action against the actor, including 'cancellation of Dosanjh's citizenship'. The film released overseas Friday (June 27) but not in India. The film's producer, Gunbir Singh Sidhu, had told media that they decided not to release the film in India after the Pahalgam attack as they didn't want to hurt anyone's sentiments. He added that 40 per cent of the film's revenue is expected to be hit with this decision. Pakistan actress Aamir had also allegedly passed derogatory remarks against India's Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in Pakistan, which too were condemned by Sidhu. In a series of posts on X, BJP national spokesperson R P Singh backed Dosanjh, calling the actor 'not just a celebrated artist… (but) a national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture'. 'FWICE's call to revoke his Indian citizenship over an inadvertent and pre-incident film shoot is not only unfair but shockingly disproportionate. The film featuring a Pakistani actress was shot before the Pahalgam attack. If there is anguish, it can be expressed through a boycott or by urging that the film not be screened in India. But attacking Diljit's patriotism and demanding such an extreme step is simply irrational,' Singh said in a post. 'Just days before the Pahalgam incident, the Indian cricket team played a match against Pakistan. Did FWICE or others object then? TV news channels routinely invite Pakistani guests to boost TRPs. Should those anchors now relinquish their citizenship too? Let's not cheapen nationalism or weaponise patriotism. FWICE should reconsider its stance — such targeting of our own talent only weakens our moral standing,' the post added. Reacting to calls for a ban on the film, Punjab BJP's Culture Cell Convenor and Punjabi film actor Hobby Dhaliwal addressed a press conference at Chandigarh and extended full support to Dosanjh on behalf of the party. Dhaliwal said that Dosanjh is not just an artist, but a globally respected face of the Punjabi community. 'At a time of nation's fight against terrorism, attempts are being made to defame him with baseless allegations. This is unfortunate and condemnable,' he said. He clarified that the film in question was shot well before the Pahalgam terror attack incident, when cultural exchanges between both nations were not banned. The shoot was conducted within legal norms and involved several actors, not just Dosanjh. Dhaliwal expressed regret that certain elements are now demanding cancellation of the actor's citizenship and a ban on his films — 'a demand that is not only unjustified but politically motivated and entirely baseless', he said. 'Diljit is the son of this soil. Punjab stands with him — and India too,' Dhaliwal added. He emphasised that every citizen holds patriotic sentiments, but using that as a pretext to target a single artist was completely wrong.
