‘Our Neighbourhood Was Bombed’: 110 Indian Students Evacuated From War-Hit Iran Land In Delhi

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Last Updated:June 19, 2025, 08:21 IST

The students, who had been relocated to Armenia via land border crossings arranged by the Indian Embassy under 'Operation Sindhu', arrived in New Delhi.

A batch of 110 Indian students evacuated from war-hit Iran returned home early Thursday morning, sharing harrowing accounts of the escalating conflict and expressing deep gratitude to the Indian government for its swift response. The students, who had been relocated to Armenia via land border crossings arranged by the Indian Embassy under ‘Operation Sindhu’, arrived in New Delhi on the first repatriation flight.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh confirmed that evacuation efforts are ongoing. “We have planes ready. We will be sending another plane today. We are evacuating some more people from Turkmenistan. Our missions have opened 24-hour lines for any request for evacuation," he told reporters, thanking both the Armenian and Turkmen governments for their support.

‘It Felt Like Home When India Came To Our Doorstep’

Among those who returned, Varta, a medical student from Kashmir, recalled the trauma of living through missile strikes. “We were terrified. We thank the Indian government and the Indian embassy who worked very fast and swiftly to bring us here," she told PTI. “When the Indian government came to our doorstep, it felt like home," she added, also acknowledging the support of Armenian authorities.

‘Tehran Has Been Destroyed’

Mir Khalif, another student who landed in Delhi, said, “We could see missiles. There was a war going on. Our neighbourhood was bombed. We were very afraid of the situation. I hope we never see those days again." He expressed hope that fellow students still in Iran would also be airlifted soon. Echoing the urgency, Delhi-based student Ali Akbar said, “While travelling in a bus, we saw a missile and a drone falling. The situation shown in the news is correct. It is extremely bad. Tehran has been destroyed."

Anxious Families Reunited

Outside the Delhi airport, parents anxiously waited to embrace their children. Haider Ali, father of 21-year-old MBBS student Maaz Haider, expressed relief. “We are really happy. The students have been brought back home safely. But we are sad that students still in Tehran have not been rescued," he said. Similarly, Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr, whose son studies in Urmia, noted the stress his family endured. “Everything was fine, but recently the situation deteriorated. The government evacuated students to Armenia and kept them in good hotels. We are thankful."

The Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association also released a statement thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the timely evacuation efforts. “We remain hopeful that all remaining students will be evacuated soon," it said.

Further evacuations are expected in the coming days as the situation in the region continues to remain volatile.

Abhro Banerjee

Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ...Read More

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