The first flight under Operation Sindhu, India’s mission to evacuate its nationals from Iran, landed safely in New Delhi on Thursday. The flight carried 110 Indian citizens, including 90 students from Jammu and Kashmir, who were evacuated amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

All evacuees arrived on IndiGo flight 6E 9487. Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, welcomed them at Indira Gandhi International Airport, reaffirming the government’s commitment to citizens’ safety abroad.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Indian students residing in Tehran were relocated from high-risk areas and safely transported out of Iran. “Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy,” the MEA said in an official statement.

The evacuation involved coordination between Indian missions in Iran and Armenia. The students crossed into Armenia and departed from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan on June 18 at 14:55 IST, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced the start of Operation Sindhu on social media, stating that India had successfully evacuated students from northern Iran under close supervision of diplomatic missions.

The Indian government expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in the evacuation process. It also reiterated its commitment to the safety of all Indian nationals abroad.

The MEA advised remaining Indian citizens in Iran to stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and utilize emergency helplines and the 24×7 control room set up in New Delhi.

More evacuation flights are expected as part of the continuing Operation Sindhu amid ongoing regional hostilities.