Operation Sindhu: India To Evacuate Citizens Of Nepal, Sri Lanka From Iran; Emergency Helplines Issued

New Delhi: The Indian embassy in Iran announced that it will evacuate citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka from Iran at the requests of their governments, as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate.

In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Tehran confirmed the decision, stating, "In response to the requests from the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts will now also cover their citizens."

The embassy provided emergency contact numbers for these citizens, urging them to reach out immediately for assistance. The designated emergency lines are: +989010144557, +989128109115, and +989128109109.

Operation Sindhu Continues for Indian Nationals

India's Operation Sindhu has been actively evacuating Indian citizens who are stranded in high-risk areas of Iran due to the ongoing conflict. On Saturday, a special flight arrived in Delhi from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, bringing back more Indian nationals. This follows another evacuation flight late Friday night that brought 290 Indian students, mostly from Jammu and Kashmir, safely back from Mashhad, Iran.

The students had been trapped in the middle of the conflict but were successfully evacuated after Tehran reopened its airspace. They landed in New Delhi with relief, grateful to be back home after experiencing the uncertainty caused by bombings and missile attacks in the region.

Total Evacuations Reach 517 Indians

So far, 517 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu. Earlier this week, 110 students from Urmia University were flown back to Delhi after being evacuated via land routes to Armenia. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that more flights and evacuations are being planned.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran has thanked the Iranian authorities for their cooperation in facilitating the evacuations. Additionally, the embassy advised all Indian nationals and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) in the region to stay alert, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow the safety guidelines issued by local authorities.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been closely monitoring the situation and confirmed that more students, especially from his state, will be evacuated through Armenia before being airlifted back to India.

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