A total of 161 Indian nationals returned to New Delhi from Israel on Tuesday under Operation Sindhu, the Government of India’s emergency evacuation mission amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. The group was welcomed at the airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Israel leg of Operation Sindhu commenced on June 23, with the evacuated group arriving in Delhi at 8:20 am via Amman, Jordan.
In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated: “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 @PmargheritaBJP received them. The safety and security of Indian nationals abroad remains the highest priority for the Government.”
Amid heightened tensions in West Asia, Operation Sindhu is facilitating the evacuation of Indians from Israel via land routes to neighboring countries, followed by air transfers to India.
In a parallel effort, 292 Indian nationals were also evacuated from Iran, with a special flight from Mashhad landing in New Delhi at 3:30 am on Tuesday. The MEA confirmed this development in a separate update, underscoring the government’s swift response to the crisis.
The evacuations come in the wake of rapidly escalating hostilities that began on June 13, when Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion”, a large-scale airstrike on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Iran responded with a wave of drone and missile strikes under “Operation True Promise 3”, targeting critical Israeli infrastructure.
The situation further deteriorated following US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in “Operation Midnight Hammer”, prompting Iran to fire missiles at US bases in Qatar and Iraq, including the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest American military installation in the region.
As tensions continue to rise, India remains focused on ensuring the safety of its citizens caught in the crossfire, with Operation Sindhu poised for further evacuations if necessary.
