1st Group of 161 Indians Arrives in Delhi from Israel Under Operation Sindhu

On Tuesday, a group of 161 Indian nationals safely arrived in New Delhi from Israel as part of the government's ongoing mission under 'Operation Sindhu'. This mission was launched by Indian government on June 18 to bring back its citizens from Israel and Iran. Pabitra Margherita, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, welcomed them at the New Delhi airport at 8:20 AM.

Operation Sindhu’s Israel Evacuation Begins

The Israel phase of Operation Sindhu officially started on June 23, according to Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In a post shared on social media, he confirmed that the Indian group travelled from Amman, Jordan, and landed in Delhi at 8:20 AM. Jaiswal emphasised that the government's top priority is the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad.

To facilitate the evacuation, Indians in Israel were moved to nearby countries via land routes, followed by flights back to India. This decision was made due to the increasing tensions between Israel and Iran.

Indians Also Evacuated from Iran

In addition to those from Israel, 292 Indian nationals were flown back from Iran the same day. In the early morning of 24 June, a special flight carried them from Mashhad to New Delhi Airport, reaching it at 8:20 AM. Jaiswal shared the update online, noting the successful arrival of the group at 3:30 AM.

Rising Tensions in the Middle East

The evacuation efforts follow a sharp increase in conflict between Israel and Iran. Israel began "Operation Rising Lion", an airstrike against Iranian nuclear and military sites, on June 13. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched "Operation True Promise 3" in retaliation, using drones and missiles to target key Israeli petroleum and energy installations.

The situation worsened when the United States carried out “Operation Midnight Hammer”, striking three major Iranian nuclear locations. Then, in retaliation, Iran fired missiles at US military bases in Iraq and Qatar, including the biggest American base in the area, Al Udeid Air Station.