Two flights carrying Indian students from Iran to land tonight; Omar Abdullah details evacuation

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has provided a detailed update on the ongoing evacuation of Indian students, predominantly from Jammu and Kashmir, stranded in Iran due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Omar explained the logistical challenges posed by closed airports and non-operational ports and added that the evacuation efforts are focused on safely moving students by land through safer regions before repatriation to India via Armenia.

“We cannot evacuate them overnight because no airports are open, no ports are operational. We are first bringing them by road to cities where there is no bombing, and from there, efforts are being made to bring them back to India via Armenia,” Abdullah said. He added that approximately 300 to 400 students are expected to reach safer zones today, from where they will be flown back home.

Addressing the broader geopolitical tension, Abdullah urged for calm and diplomatic dialogue to de-escalate the conflict. “The India-Pakistan issue is a separate matter, and the Israel-Iran issue is different. In any case, this bombing should never have started. Earlier, when the head of U.S. intelligence was asked whether Iran had nuclear weapons, he said he didn't think they would be able to make one anytime soon. But within a few months, Israel launched attacks on Iran. These attacks must stop, and the issues should be resolved through dialogue,” he said.

Abdullah also expressed concerns about the nature of India-US relations, pointing out the United States’ tendency to prioritise its interests. “We can't dictate to the US President whom he should invite for dinner. We used to think the US President was our close friend, and he would respect that, but the US does what benefits it,” he remarked.

What is Operation Sindhu?

Operation Sindhu is the Indian government’s initiative to evacuate nationals from Iran amid the deteriorating situation. Recently, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the first group of 110 evacuees arriving safely from Iran.

Two flights are scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Friday, carrying Indian nationals stranded in Iran due to the conflict. The first flight from Mashhad is expected to land around 11:30 pm, and the second from Ashgabat around 3 am.