By SCALE UB news team : 20/06/2025
News summary:
In a rare diplomatic concession during the Israel-Iran conflict, Iran has opened its otherwise closed airspace to facilitate the evacuation of around 1,000 Indian students. The first flight is set to land in Delhi tonight, with two more scheduled on Saturday. This marks a significant breakthrough for Operation Sindhu, enhancing India’s ability to repatriate its nationals safely. economictimes.indiatimes.com+14inshorts.com+14ndtv.com+14
Detail news:
In a humanitarian gesture within a tense regional landscape, Iran has agreed to open its airspace exclusively for India to execute several evacuation flights, enabling the safe return of nearly 1,000 Indian students and pilgrims stranded amid the ongoing Israel-Iran hostilities .
Operational Details
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The first flight is scheduled to land in Delhi tonight at 11 PM IST.
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Two additional flights, planned for Saturday, will follow—one in the morning and another in the evening ndtv.com.
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These flights operate under Operation Sindhu, India’s concerted evacuation mission launched earlier this week economictimes.indiatimes.com+13newsbytesapp.com+13indiatimes.com+13.
Diplomatic Breakthrough
Iran’s decision—despite its restricted airspace during missile exchanges and drone attacks—marks a rare exception aimed at facilitating a massive humanitarian operation ndtv.com+2m.economictimes.com+2economictimes.indiatimes.com+2. MEA sources have confirmed that these flights will originate from Mashhad and Tehran, ferrying students, pilgrims, and other Indian nationals.
Voices from the Ground
Earlier, the students arriving in the first wave spoke of terrifying experiences involving missiles and drones near their dorms. Many are still in shock but grateful to be safely back home ndtv.com+5livemint.com+5inshorts.com+5.
Operational Reach & Safety Measures
Operation Sindhu, modeled after previous evacuation missions such as Ukraine’s ‘Operation Ganga’ (2022), utilizes land corridors through Armenia, Qatar, and Turkmenistan to overcome travel restrictions. India continues to coordinate via its embassies in Tehran, Yerevan, and Doha, supported by a 24×7 helpline timesofindia.indiatimes.com+4livemint.com+4indiatimes.com+4.
