India Begins Evacuating Citizens from Iran Through Airspace Opened by Tehran
As tensions escalate between Iran and Israel—with the world watching closely and the U.S. possibly entering the conflict—India has taken urgent action to bring its citizens home to safety.
In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, India has secured Iran’s permission to use its airspace to evacuate nearly 1,000 Indian nationals, most of them students and professionals stranded amid growing hostilities. The evacuation efforts, coordinated from the north-eastern Iranian city of Mashhad, are now underway with the first flights expected to land back in India late Friday or early Saturday.
After days of high-level talks, Indian authorities successfully moved citizens from Tehran to Qom, and eventually to Mashhad, close to the border with Turkmenistan. From there, a safe air corridor has been arranged—thanks to the cooperation of both Iran and Turkmenistan. At least three flights operated by Iran’s Mahan Air are being used for the operation.
Mohammad Javad Hosseini, Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission to India, confirmed this coordinated effort and praised the joint work between Iranian authorities and the Indian embassy. Some Indian students reportedly sustained minor injuries in recent strikes, prompting swift action by the Indian government to prevent further harm.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a public statement acknowledging the deteriorating security situation and emphasizing that the safety of Indian nationals remains a top priority. The MEA thanked the governments of Iran and Armenia for their support and highlighted that this mission, now officially named Operation Sindhu, is part of India’s broader strategy to move citizens from vulnerable regions to safer zones.
As of now, over 4,000 Indians are living in Iran, with around half of them being students. The government had already issued an advisory on Tuesday urging all Indians to leave Tehran and stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran via emergency helplines.
This operation follows the earlier evacuation of 110 Indian students from northern Iran to Armenia on June 19. Indian authorities are also working on a similar evacuation plan from Israel, where tensions are also high.
In contrast, other nations have mostly relied on land routes. Greece has evacuated 16 nationals by road to Azerbaijan, and France is planning a convoy to the Turkish or Armenian borders. Countries like New Zealand, South Korea, and Bulgaria have also begun pulling their citizens out, some even closing their embassies temporarily.
India’s challenge is complex. While it enjoys good relations with Iran, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Iraq, ties with other bordering countries—such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan—remain delicate. The situation limits India’s evacuation options but has also sparked a surge in diplomatic coordination, with Delhi activating every possible channel to ensure no Indian is left behind.
The message is clear: the Government of India is not waiting for the situation to worsen. It’s moving now—decisively, urgently, and with compassion—to bring its people home.