The first group of 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu landed safely in New Delhi early Thursday. The evacuees, mostly students from Urmia Medical University, expressed deep gratitude to the Narendra Modi-led government and Indian embassies in Iran and Armenia for their swift and safe evacuation amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The students were flown on IndiGo flight 6E 9487, following a coordinated rescue operation involving road transport to Yerevan, Armenia, before their flight to India. Most of the evacuees were from Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the group at Indira Gandhi International Airport. “We have planes ready. Another flight will be sent today, and we are also evacuating people from Turkmenistan. Our missions are operating 24/7 helplines for support,” he said.

Speaking to IANS, the evacuated students described terrifying conditions in Iran—witnessing drones, injured civilians, and communication blackouts. “It was extremely dangerous. We’re proud to be Indian—the government brought us home safely,” one student said.

Another evacuee added, “The situation in Iran has worsened. We thank the Indian government and embassies for prioritizing our safety and bringing us back.”

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Indian students in Tehran were relocated to safer areas and later evacuated. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced on X, “Operation Sindhu begins. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under supervision of our Missions.”

India also thanked the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating the safe transit. The MEA reiterated its commitment to the safety of Indian nationals and urged those still in Iran to remain in contact with Indian authorities.