India Broadens Operation Sindhu to Assist Nepali and Sri Lankan Evacuees from Iran
India has broadened its current evacuation initiative, Operation Sindhu, to assist citizens from Nepal and Sri Lanka stranded in Iran. This expansion follows formal requests from both governments amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with the conflict entering its ninth day without a diplomatic resolution.
The Indian Embassy in Iran revealed on Saturday that the evacuation mission would now extend its support beyond Indian citizens. The embassy's announcement on X stated, “On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy's evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka.”
Operation Sindhu was launched by India earlier this week to evacuate its nationals from Iran after a sudden escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran. This surge in conflict began on June 13 when Israel conducted airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities under “Operation Rising Lion,” prompting a severe response from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the form of “Operation True Promise 3,” which involved launching numerous drones and missiles at strategic Israeli targets.
As of June 21, India has successfully evacuated 517 nationals under Operation Sindhu, as reported by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. A specific evacuation flight arrived in New Delhi from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, at 3:00 AM on Saturday, carrying a new group of evacuees. Jaiswal confirmed the ongoing nature of the operation with a post on X stating, “Operation Sindhu continues.”
Images from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport showed relieved students and professionals returning from Mashhad, Iran, one of the regions affected by the worsening security conditions.
India's decision to assist neighboring nations' citizens highlights its expanding diplomatic efforts and commitment to humanitarian aid in crisis areas. The extension of Operation Sindhu continues India’s history of large-scale evacuation missions, such as Operation Kaveri during the 2023 Sudan crisis, Operation Ajay during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, and Operation Devi Shakti in 2021 following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.
Other past operations, including Operation Ganga in Ukraine (2022), Operation Samudra Setu during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), Operation Raahat in Yemen (2015), and Operation Safe Homecoming in Libya (2011), further emphasize India’s track record in executing complex international rescue missions under challenging circumstances.
With the conflict between Israel and Iran still ongoing, Indian authorities have indicated that Operation Sindhu will remain operational and flexible, focusing on ensuring the safety of Indian citizens and providing assistance to neighboring countries in need.
