Fri Jun 20 20:53:00 UTC 2025: **Headline: Operation Sindhu Brings Stranded Indian Students Home Amidst Escalating Israel-Iran Conflict**
**New Delhi – June 21, 2025:** The Indian government’s “Operation Sindhu” successfully evacuated hundreds of Indian nationals, primarily students from Jammu and Kashmir, from Iran as hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify. The first flight carrying 290 students from Mashhad, Iran, landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport late Friday evening.
The Ministry of External Affairs launched Operation Sindhu last week amidst escalating aerial bombardments and retaliatory strikes between the two Middle Eastern nations. A statement from the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association expressed their “heartfelt thanks” to the Indian government and the Ministry of External Affairs for their “timely intervention and support,” bringing “great relief” to anxiously awaiting families.
Two more flights are scheduled to arrive later tonight, including one from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, around 3 am, carrying approximately 1,000 more Indian nationals. Previously, on Thursday, 110 Indian students were evacuated via Armenia and Doha before reaching Delhi.
In a remarkable gesture of cooperation, Iran opened its airspace to facilitate India’s evacuation efforts. The students were initially moved from Tehran to Mashhad before being transported on Iranian airline flights coordinated by Indian authorities.
Operation Sindhu continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of Indian citizens amidst the ongoing conflict in the region.
First Piper 