In a significant humanitarian gesture, Iran has made a rare exception to its airspace closure, permitting chartered evacuation flights for Indian nationals stranded in the country due to escalating hostilities with Israel.
To facilitate the airlift, Mahan Air chartered flights from Mashhad have been arranged, aimed at flying approximately 1,000 Indians back home. The first of these special flights is scheduled to land in Delhi tonight.
“We have scheduled these chartered flights for the Indians who want to get out,” authorities said, underlining that the mission prioritises the safety of Indian citizens amid rising regional tensions.
Operation Sindhu: Evacuations from Iran and Israel Underway
This evacuation comes just two days after the Indian government launched ‘Operation Sindhu’, a mission to safely bring back its citizens from Iran, which is currently facing increased military strikes from Israel and a growing conflict across the Middle East.
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As part of the first phase of Operation Sindhu, 110 Indian students were successfully evacuated from northern Iran and escorted across the border into Armenia. The Indian missions in Iran and Armenia jointly supervised the movement. The students later boarded a special flight from Yerevan, departing at 2:55 pm on June 18, and arrived safely in New Delhi in the early hours of Thursday.
Building on the success of this initial phase, the Indian government on Thursday also launched the evacuation of Indian nationals from Israel. The plan involves moving individuals across land borders, with subsequent repatriation flights back to India. The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv will oversee logistics and coordination to ensure a smooth and safe evacuation process.
