In a humanitarian gesture amidst rising geopolitical tensions, India announced on Saturday that it would extend its evacuation operation in Iran to include citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka. The decision comes in response to formal requests from both governments, as the region grapples with escalating conflict triggered by Israel’s Operation Rising Lion and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory actions.
“In response to the requests from the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the Indian Embassy in Tehran said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The embassy has issued emergency contact numbers and urged affected individuals to urgently reach out via Telegram or the helpline numbers: +989010144557, +989128109115, and +989128109109.
The broader evacuation mission, named Operation Sindhu, was launched to bring home Indian nationals stranded in high-risk areas following a rapid deterioration in the security environment in Iran. The crisis has heightened fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East, raising alarms over potential ripple effects on global peace and stability.
Early Saturday morning, a special flight carrying Indian citizens arrived in New Delhi from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. This followed a successful evacuation on Friday night, during which 290 Indian students—mostly from Jammu and Kashmir—returned safely from Mashhad, Iran, after Tehran reopened its airspace for outbound flights.
India’s swift response has been widely appreciated, and the inclusion of Nepalese and Sri Lankan citizens in its evacuation mission reflects the country’s commitment to regional solidarity during times of crisis.
