Amid growing military tension in the Middle East, the Government of India has intensified the campaign to bring Indian citizens trapped in Iran safely under Operation Indus. A special Indigo aircraft (6E 9487) with 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University in Iran (6E 9487) landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Thursday morning.
Confirmation and complete preparation of the Ministry of External Affairs
The Ministry of External Affairs (Mea) on Thursday confirmed that the evacuation of citizens under Operation Sindhu is going on and there are plans to leave another flight on the same day. Welcoming the students at the airport, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said, “We are making every effort to bring back every Indian safely. It is our great responsibility, and we have put many aircraft on standby for it.”
Operation Sindhu: 24 × 7 helpline and coordination of embassies
The government has so far received more than 350 withdrawal requests. In collaboration with Indian embassies, the Ministry of External Affairs has launched 24 -hour active helpline numbers to provide immediate assistance to the trapped citizens. Singh said that “Today another aircraft will leave Turkmenistan to bring people. As the situation changes, we will bring back Indians through chartered flights.”
Government of Turkmenistan and Armenia cooperation
The Government of India has thanked the governments of Turkmenistan and Armenia, who in the event of this crisis provided the resurrection and transit facility to Indian citizens. With the help of both countries, Indians were found out of the ground and then brought to India by air.
Operation Sindhu: Students’ experiences and emotions
Students returned from Iran described the situation there as frightening. Mir Salif, a student of Urmia Medical University, said, “We were among the missiles, our entire mohalla was in the grip of bombing. When the people of the Indian Embassy (Operation Sindhu) came to our door and said that they had come to take us home, I was missing my mother. I was very happy.”
He further said, “We were taken out of the ground due to the closure of the aircraft and then we were brought to India within a day. I am thankful to the Government of India and the Ministry of External Affairs.”
Operation Sindhu: Will continue as long as needed
The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that this operation (Operation Sindhu) will continue until all Indians are taken out safely. For this, additional chartered flights are being arranged, so that no Indian is left behind under any circumstances.
