June 25, 2025
NEW DELHI – Over 3,000 Indian nationals have been brought back from Iran and Israel so far under Operation Sindhu, India’s evacuation initiative launched amid intensifying hostilities in the Middle East.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Tuesday afternoon, a latest special flight carrying 281 Indian nationals, 3 Sri Lankan and 2 Nepalese nationals arrived in New Delhi from Iran under Operation Sindhu. Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, welcomed them at the airport.
In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, “MoS @PmargheritaBJP warmly received 281 Indian, 3 Sri Lankan & 2 Nepalese nationals evacuated from Iran. They arrived in New Delhi on a special flight from Mashhad at 1500 hrs on 24 June. 2576 Indian nationals have now been brought home from Iran as part of #OperationSindhu.”
Earlier in the day, a total of 268 Indian nationals arrived in Delhi from Israel under Operation Sindhu, the MEA said.
The Government of India has launched Operation Sindhu, a strategic evacuation initiative to repatriate Indian nationals stranded in Israel and Iran.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) brought back 268 Indian nationals, who were residing in Israel, from Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, bringing the total number of citizens coming home from Israel to 594.
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan welcomed the Indian nationals upon their arrival in New Delhi.
In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, ” 268 Indian nationals who returned in the third flight from Israel were received by MoS Dr. L Murugan. The IAF C-17 flight from Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt landed in Delhi at 1100 hrs on 24th June. 594 Indians have returned so far from Israel as part of #OperationSindhu.”
This was the second IAF flight bringing back the Indians from Israel. Earlier in the day, an IAF flight carrying 165 Indians had arrived in New Delhi.
The IAF joined in the operations with its C-17 aircraft to evacuate the Indian nationals and the citizens of friendly nations, including Nepal and Sri Lanka, from war-hit Israel and bring them back home to safety.
Earlier in the day, before the IAF aircraft landed in India, the MEA announced that the Israel leg of Operation Sindhu started on Monday, June 23, via Jordan, marking its first successful repatriation flight, with 161 citizens landing in New Delhi from Amman on Tuesday morning.
This morning, a total of 161 Indian nationals arrived in New Delhi from Israel under Operation Sindhu. Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, welcomed them at the airport.
In a post on X, Jaiswal said, “The Israel leg of #OperationSindhu began on June 23, 2025, bringing home the first group of 161 Indian nationals from Israel. They safely arrived in New Delhi today at 0820 hrs from Amman, Jordan. At the airport, MoS @PmargrheritaBJP received them. The safety and security of Indian nationals abroad remains the highest priority for the Government.”
Amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, the Indian Government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave. The MEA said their travel from Israel to India would be facilitated by land borders and, thereafter, by air to India.
Meanwhile, a similar evacuation process continued in Iran, and so far, according to the MEA, 2295 Indian nationals have been brought back home.
Earlier, this morning, the MEA spokesperson said 292 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi from Mashhad on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, “292 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi from Mashhad at 0330 hrs on 24th June. 2295 Indian nationals have now been brought home from Iran.”