A special flight carrying 110 Indian students evacuated from war-torn Iran touched down safely in Delhi on Thursday morning.
The return sparked emotional reunions at the airport, where worried families breathed a sigh of relief.
Among the evacuees, 90 students hailed from Jammu and Kashmir, pursuing medical degrees in Iran before the regional conflict took a drastic turn. The students were first moved to Armenia before being flown home under a government-led evacuation initiative.
“I can’t express how happy I am to see my family again,” said Amaan Azhar, one of the returnees. “The situation in Iran is devastating—war is destroying lives.”
Grateful parents praised the government’s efforts. A father from Rajasthan, whose son was pursuing MBBS, said, “I thank the Indian Embassy and the authorities for acting so quickly. My son returned through Armenia, and I urge support for those still stranded.”
With airspace shut down due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, India has intensified diplomatic efforts to ensure its citizens’ safety. The Indian Embassy in Tehran advised nationals to avoid unnecessary movement, while urging evacuations via neighbouring countries like Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
Iran currently hosts over 4,000 Indian nationals—about half of them students. The Indian government remains in active coordination with Iranian authorities to extract those still stuck, especially in interior regions like Tehran.
