India launches ‘Operation Sindhu’ to evacuate citizens from conflict zones in Iran

Amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Indian government has initiated ‘Operation Sindhu’ to safely evacuate its citizens stranded in the war-affected regions, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.In the first phase of the operation, 110 Indian students were successfully evacuated from northern Iran. They were transported overland to Armenia on June 17, with the assistance of Indian diplomatic missions in both Iran and Armenia. From there, they boarded a special flight from Yerevan on June 18 at 2:55 pm IST, expected to arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19.
The MEA expressed gratitude towards the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating a smooth evacuation process.
“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,” the ministry said in its statement.The Indian embassy in Tehran, together with the mission in Armenia, has been actively relocating citizens from high-risk areas within Iran to safer zones while coordinating further evacuation efforts via all available routes.

To oversee and support the operation, the government has established a 24×7 Control Room in New Delhi to monitor the situation and provide assistance to affected nationals. The control room can be reached at toll-free number 1800118797, or via phone at +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905, and WhatsApp number +91-9968291988. Queries can also be sent to situationroom@mea.gov.in.

Additionally, the Embassy of India in Tehran has set up its own 24×7 emergency helpline to assist citizens on the ground. Contact numbers for calls include +98 9128109115 and +98 9128109109, while WhatsApp contacts are +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, and +91 8086871709. Emergency helplines are also available in Bandar Abbas (+98 9177699036) and Zahedan (+98 9396356649), with email support via cons.tehran@mea.gov.in.

The MEA reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of Indian nationals overseas and pledged continued efforts to ensure their secure return amid the ongoing crisis.