Iran exceptionally opens airspace to evacuate Indian nationals, 1st batch of students to land in Delhi tonight
PTC News Desk: Amid the closure of airspace in the backdrop of ongoing conflict, Iran has made an exception and opened its airspace to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in the country. At least 1,000 Indian students stranded in conflict-hit Iranian cities are expected to land in Delhi in the next two days as part of the government's emergency evacuation programme, Operation Sindhu.
The otherwise closed Iranian airspace has been exceptionally opened to fecilitate the airlift. Mahan Air chartered flights from Mashhad have been arranged to bring approximately 1,000 Indians back home. The first batch of students are slated to land in Delhi tonight.
“We have scheduled these chartered flights for the Indians who want to get out,” authorities confirmed, emphasising that the operation is aimed at ensuring the safety of Indian nationals amid escalating regional tensions.
The development comes two days after India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from the conflict zone amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel. The operation has been launched in the backdrop of ongoing military strikes and criss-cross firing between both the nations and possible explansion of conflict.
As initial part of the evactuation, 110 Indian nationals were safely transported across Armenia through land borders. The transportation was closely monitored by Indian missions in Iran and Armenia. The students then boarded a special flight from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, at 2:55 pm on June 18, and landed safely in New Delhi in the early hours of Thursday.
A day after evacuation from Iran, India initiated process for Indian nationals who wish to leave Israel amid ongoing hostilities. The evacuation will be fecilitated through land borders following which arrangements will be made to bring them back to India by air means. The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv will oversee the logistics and coordination of this operation.
- With inputs from agencies
