In a rare gesture amid intensifying conflict with Israel, Iran has opened its airspace exclusively for India to facilitate the evacuation of around 1,000 Indian students stranded in the country. The decision comes at a time when most international flights are barred from entering Iranian airspace due to ongoing missile and drone exchanges between Iran and Israel.
Under Operation Sindhu, India has already begun evacuating its citizens. On June 17, 110 students were transported by road from northern Iran to neighboring Armenia, coordinated by the Indian Embassy. A special flight then carried them from Yerevan to New Delhi on June 18, with their arrival in India expected early Saturday morning.
“The government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The broader context of the evacuation involves a severe military escalation between Israel and Iran, which began on June 13. Israeli strikes have targeted key nuclear facilities, military bases, and high-ranking Iranian officials. Reports indicate that at least 657 people have been killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, with over 2,000 wounded.
In response, Iran has launched a barrage of 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli military sources. While the majority of these have been intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defence systems, at least 24 people in Israel have died and several hundred have been injured.
As international pressure mounts and fears of a wider regional war grow, Iran’s temporary opening of its airspace for Indian evacuations is seen as a humanitarian exception. It underscores the seriousness of the situation on the ground, where regular civilian air traffic remains virtually impossible.
Meanwhile, reports suggest former US President Donald Trump is considering military options against Iran’s fortified Fordo nuclear site, raising concerns of a broader escalation.
While Iran continues to claim its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, its enrichment of uranium to 60 per cent—just shy of weapons-grade—remains a global flashpoint. Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons though it has never formally acknowledged them, views Iran’s capabilities as a direct threat.
The conflict, unfolding rapidly across diplomatic, military, and humanitarian lines, has put thousands of civilians, including foreign nationals, at risk. India’s swift action through Operation Sindhu reflects the urgency of the situation and its commitment to protecting its citizens abroad.
