Iran eases airspace for three charter flights evacuating 1,000 Indian nationals

In a significant development for India's ongoing Operation Sindhu, Iran has eased its airspace restrictions to facilitate three charter flights aimed at evacuating approximately 1,000 Indian nationals. These citizens had been moved to safer locations within Iran amidst the escalating hostilities with Israel. A senior Iranian diplomat confirmed on Friday that more flights could be operated in the coming days for other Indians wishing to return home.

Operation Sindhu was launched by India on Wednesday to evacuate its citizens from both Iran and Israel, following a surge in military clashes between the two nations. Initially, Indian authorities had planned to move nationals via land borders to third countries – Armenia for those in Iran, and Egypt and Jordan for those in Israel – before flying them back to India. This strategic shift now includes direct air passage from Iran.

Mohammad Javad Hosseini, the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, stated on Friday, "Iran’s airspace is closed but because of this issue, we are making arrangements to open it for the safe passage of [Indian nationals]." This cooperation is crucial for expediting the evacuation process. Already, a group of 110 Indian students, who were first moved from Tehran to Qom and then to Armenia via a land crossing, successfully returned to New Delhi on a flight from Yerevan on Thursday.

While India has not issued a general advisory for its citizens to leave Iran or Israel, it has urged vigilance and restricted movement for those in both countries. Indian authorities also specifically advised nationals to move out of Tehran. Approximately 10,000 Indians, including many students, were in Iran when the hostilities intensified. Hosseini assured that most Indians in Iran are safe, with only a handful sustaining shrapnel injuries in an Israeli airstrike on a students' dormitory in Tehran over the weekend, an incident he questioned the reason for. The Indian government has expressed gratitude to both Iran and Armenia for their support in this critical evacuation mission.