New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Iran announced today that it will extend evacuation assistance to citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka under Operation Sindhu, the Indian government’s ongoing effort to bring home nationals stranded in Iran amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
“On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the embassy posted on X.
The move highlights India’s commitment to regional cooperation and humanitarian assistance, especially during times of crisis. The evacuation of non-Indian nationals will be carried out in coordination with the respective embassies and based on logistical feasibility.
Operation Sindhu was launched after the situation in Iran worsened due to the intensifying hostilities with Israel. The conflict, now in its ninth day, erupted after Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” targeted Iranian military and nuclear installations on June 13. In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded with a massive missile and drone assault, “Operation True Promise 3”, targeting Israeli military energy infrastructure.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the latest developments regarding the evacuation mission. Speaking on Saturday, he reported that 517 Indian nationals have been safely evacuated from Iran thus far.
“Operation Sindhu continues. A special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, landed in New Delhi at 0300 hrs on 21st June, bringing Indians from Iran home. With this, so far 517 Indian nationals from Iran have returned home under Operation Sindhu,” Jaiswal posted on X.
The special flight was arranged via Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat, which has served as a key transit point in the mission.
This is not the first time India has undertaken such a large-scale evacuation. In 2023, India successfully executed Operation Kaveri to bring home thousands of its nationals from conflict-hit Sudan.
