‘We are proud to be Indians’: evacuated students thank Modi govt after return from Iran

‘We are proud to be Indians’: evacuated students thank Modi govt after return from Iran

After arriving safely in New Delhi on Thursday, all 110 Indian citizens evacuated from Iran expressed their gratitude to the Narendra Modi-led Union government and the Indian embassies in Iran and Armenia for their timely and safe evacuation amid the escalating military conflict in the Middle East.

As part of Operation Sindhu, the first flight carrying Indian nationals from Iran landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The evacuees, including 90 students from Urmia Medical University, were flown in on IndiGo flight 6E 9487, which arrived at Terminal-3 in the early hours of Thursday.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, welcomed the evacuees at the airport.

Speaking to IANS, Singh said, “We have planes ready. Another aircraft will depart today. We are evacuating more people from Turkmenistan. Our missions have opened 24-hour helplines for any evacuation requests. As the situation evolves, more planes and chartered flights will be dispatched to bring back all Indian nationals from Iran.”

Several students, visibly emotional, recounted their experiences and expressed appreciation for the Indian government’s swift action.

One student said, “The situation was extremely dangerous and we were scared. We saw drones, injured people, and the internet was down—nothing was working. But the Indian government came through, took us in, and brought us home safely. Salute to them. They took an unbelievable step, and we’re truly proud to be Indians.”

Another student added, “The situation in Iran is worsening rapidly. Just two days ago it seemed manageable, but now it’s much worse. We are extremely thankful to the Indian government and the Indian embassies in Iran and Armenia for the way they took care of us and brought us back.”

A third student said, “The embassies prioritized our evacuation and ensured we were the first to return to India. Their efforts were remarkable.”

Operation Sindhu was launched by India to evacuate its nationals from Iran amid rising regional tensions. The first batch included students from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The evacuation was coordinated through Armenia, with the students traveling by road to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, under the supervision of the Indian missions in Iran and Armenia. The students departed from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan at 14:55 IST on June 18, arriving in Delhi in the early hours of June 19.

On Wednesday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Indian students residing in Tehran were safely moved out of the city as a precautionary measure.

In an official statement, the MEA said, “Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy.”

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also announced on Twitter, “Operation Sindhu begins. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on June 17.”

The Indian government has expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in facilitating the smooth evacuation.

“India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in relocating from high-risk areas to safer zones and evacuating them through available and feasible routes,” the MEA stated.

Indian nationals in Iran have been advised to stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, as well as the 24×7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.