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Operation Sindhu
India launches Operation Sindhu, evacuates 110 students from Iran
Context: Rising conflict between Israel and Iran has prompted India to launch Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran safely.
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- On Thursday morning (19 June), the first Operation Sindhu rescue flight landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, carrying 110 Indian students evacuated from Iran.
- Approximately 4,000 Indian nationals remain in Iran. About half are students, many in need of evacuation as the situation remains volatile.
What is Operation Sindhu?
- Launched on June 18, 2025, by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Operation Sindhu is a strategic evacuation programme aimed at repatriating Indian nationals from Iran, as full-scale conflict erupts between Israel and Iran.
- The war, which began on June 13, has already resulted in over 639 Iranian casualties, caused extensive infrastructure damage, and severely disrupted airspace across the Middle East.
- Operation Sindhu is reminiscent of Operation Ganga, launched during the Ukraine-Russia war in 2022
Evacuations in India’s Diplomatic History: Operation Ganga
- During the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, India launched Operation Ganga:
- Over 20,000 citizens were stranded due to suspended flights.
- India worked with Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia to evacuate students from Kharkiv and Sumy.
- Special flights from Aia, IndiGo, anir Indd SpiceJet brought back 18,000+ students.
