In a significant relief for Indian families, the first evacuation flight under ‘Operation Sindhu’ brought back 110 Indian students from Iran to Delhi early Thursday morning. These students had been evacuated from Tehran to Armenia following rising tensions due to the escalating Israel-Iran conflict that began the previous Friday. With support from the Indian embassy, the students were safely transported across the border into Armenia on Tuesday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association welcomed the arrival of the flight and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for initiating the rescue operation. They emphasized their hope that all other Indian students still stranded in Iran would be rescued soon.

Haider Ali, father of Maaz Haider, a 21-year-old MBBS student in Iran, expressed both relief and concern. While grateful that his son was among those brought home safely, he remained worried about those still stuck in Tehran and appealed to the government to ensure their prompt evacuation as well.

The Indian government officially launched ‘Operation Sindhu’ on Wednesday to rescue its nationals caught in the escalating conflict. As the evacuation effort began, Iranian embassy officials confirmed that some Indian students had sustained injuries during the missile strikes. Iran's foreign ministry has been in communication with the Indian mission in Tehran regarding the situation.

Parvez Alam, a resident of Bulandshahr and father of Sameer Alam, waited anxiously at the Delhi airport to reunite with his son. He shared that Sameer had been studying in Urmia for two years without any issues until the recent conflict escalated. He expressed his gratitude to the Indian authorities for rescuing the students and placing them in good accommodations in Armenia during the evacuation process.

One of the students who returned, Mir Khalif, recounted the harrowing conditions in Iran. He said the area they lived in had been bombed, and they saw missiles flying overhead. He described the experience as terrifying and said he hoped never to live through such days again.

Another student, Ali Akbar from Delhi, shared his experience of traveling by bus toward Armenia. During the journey, he saw both a missile and a drone fall nearby. According to him, the media portrayal of the situation in Tehran was accurate and possibly understated. He stated that the city had been severely damaged.

The evacuation highlighted the Indian government’s swift response to ensure the safety of its citizens amid a potential full-scale war in the Middle East. The situation remains tense, but the successful return of these students has provided some comfort to their families. Efforts are ongoing to locate and evacuate any remaining Indian nationals still trapped in conflict-affected zones in Iran.