Latest news with #MEA
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid conflict with Israel, Iran opens airspace to evacuate around 1,000 Indian students
Iran has opened its airspace for India, allowing New Delhi to bring back around 1,000 Indian students under Operation Sindhu as tensions are escalating in the Middle East. According to multiple reports, Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier, will bring back the students to New Delhi in multiple chartered flights over the weekend. Nearly 1,000 Indian students have been moved from Tehran to Mashad and will be brought back in three flights. On Wednesday, the Indian government officially launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had confirmed that 110 Indian students from northern Iran were successfully escorted across the border into Armenia on June 17. These students were taken to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, under the supervision of Indian diplomatic missions. Operation Sindhu was launched after reports of Indian students sustaining injuries during a strike on a medical student dormitory in Tehran's Keshavarz Street area. Iranian embassy officials in Delhi confirmed that the Iranian foreign ministry remains in close contact with the Indian mission in Tehran following the incident. In an earlier statement, the MEA emphasised the Indian government's focus on the well-being of its citizens abroad. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options,' it had said. The MEA also expressed gratitude to both Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in facilitating the evacuation efforts. Indian nationals in Iran have been advised to stay connected with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline and to coordinate with the 24×7 Control Room established by the MEA in New Delhi.
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Operation Sindhu: Iran opens airspace for Indian evacuation flights
Iran opens airspace exclusively for Indian flights as India begins evacuating students from conflict-hit nation under Operation Sindhu Prateek Shukla New Delhi Iran has made a rare exception by permitting Indian evacuation flights to transit its otherwise restricted airspace, according to a report by NDTV. The move supports Operation Sindhu, launched by the Indian government to rescue its citizens from conflict-affected regions in Iran. The first flight carrying Indian students is expected to land in Delhi tonight at 11:00 pm IST. Two additional flights are scheduled for Saturday—one in the morning and another in the evening. Exclusive airspace access amid escalating tensions Iranian airspace has largely been closed to international flights due to continuing missile and drone attacks linked to the conflict with Israel. Despite the broader restrictions, India has been granted an exclusive air corridor to ensure the safe passage of its nationals. India formally announced Operation Sindhu on Wednesday. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is coordinating closely with the Iranian foreign ministry, particularly after reports emerged of injuries among Indian students. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,' stated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Thousands of Indians in Iran, many in northern regions There are over 4,000 Indian nationals living in Iran, with roughly half of them being students. A significant number are located in northern regions where military activity has intensified. Earlier this week, 110 students were relocated from northern Iran to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, by road. This effort was jointly managed by Indian diplomatic missions in Tehran and Yerevan. A special flight departed from Yerevan at 14:55 hours on 18 June, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19. Alongside the stranded students, many Indian pilgrims, including 28 from Lucknow, remain stuck in Iran. They began their journey on May 27 from India to Iraq and crossed into Iran on June 9. Their planned pilgrimage included visits to religious sites in Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur, and Kashan. A large number of these pilgrims had completed Haj, which ended with Eid on Monday, before proceeding to Iran—a route commonly followed by Shia pilgrims visiting holy shrines. Aqeel Jafar Rizvi, a tour operator with Mehndi Tours and Travels, told The Times of India, 'Over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow are currently in Iran, and many are facing difficulties due to a shortage of funds and limited access to essential medicines.' Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas has written to the MEA urging action. Gratitude expressed to regional partners 'The Indian government is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating the safe passage of Indian nationals through their territories,' said an MEA spokesperson. The evacuated students were enrolled at Urmia Medical University in Iran's West Azerbaijan province, near the Turkish border— an area that has recently seen increased military movement. Of the 110 students evacuated, 90 are from Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association.
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First Post
4 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Who is JP Singh, India's envoy to Israel, MEA's ‘go-to' diplomat in times of crisis?
Jitendra Pal (JP) Singh took over the post of India's Ambassador to Israel in January during a ceasefire between the Jewish country and Hamas in Gaza. Just months down the line, he is overseeing New Delhi's efforts to evacuate its citizens from Israel as tensions mount between the West Asian country and Iran. Recently, Singh came to the limelight after Netflix's movie, The Diplomat, portrayed the high-profile rescue mission of Uzma Ahmed in Pakistan. The case was handled by Singh read more JP Singh is India's Ambassador to Israel as New Delhi begins evacuation of its nationals from the West Asian country. X/@IsraelinIndia India's Ambassador to Israel is in the spotlight again. As military tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, New Delhi has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its nationals from the two warring countries in West Asia. As India rescues its citizens from Israel, India's envoy in Tel Aviv – Jitendra Pal (JP) Singh – is at the centre of it all. Under him, India is navigating the Iran-Israel conflict, which has caused turmoil in West Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Singh was recently the subject of Netflix's The Diplomat starring John Abraham. The movie is based on the high-profile Uzma Ahmed rescue case in Pakistan, which was handled by him. Who is the Indian diplomat? We take a look. Who is JP Singh? JP Singh, a 2002 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is currently serving as India's Ambassador to Israel. His appointment came in January this year at a crucial time, during Israel and Hamas' ceasefire in Gaza. Singh replaced Sanjeev Singla, who is the Indian Ambassador to Paris. His tenure as Indian Ambassador in Tel Aviv is significant for bilateral defence and trade ties between the two countries. Singh was sent to Israel at a time when Indian workers are increasingly going to work in Israel. The West Asian country is home to more than 32,000 Indian nationals. As Iran and Israel's conflict intensifies, Singh is again India's point-person for managing a crisis on foreign soil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD MEA's top pick for Iran, Afghanistan JP Singh has held several big posts at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He has served in Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. The diplomat was the joint secretary in the key Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) division of the MEA. Last year, Singh was responsible for maintaining a balance between India's relationship with Iran and its regional rival, Israel, as they traded missiles. He also steered high-level engagements between India and Iran when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian died, reported The Hindu. Singh was posted in Kabul as the first secretary between 2008 and 2012. During his tenure, he dealt with the aftermath of two suicide attacks by the Taliban on the Indian Embassy in 2008 and 2009. After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Singh went to Kabul to meet Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the Haqqani network behind the attacks on the Indian Embassy and consulates in Afghanistan. Last November, he held talks with the Taliban's Acting Defence Minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, to expand ties between India and Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Administrator of National Defense Ministry met with a Delegation from India. The defense ministry's administrator, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob 'Mujahid' at his office today, met with an Indian delegation, headed by... — د ملي دفاع وزارت - وزارت دفاع ملی (@MoDAfghanistan2) November 6, 2024 His meeting is seen to have cleared the path for Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's talks with the Taliban regime's Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai in January. JP Singh's hard talk with Pakistan Singh was India's deputy high commissioner to Pakistan between 2014 and 2019. He managed tensions between the two countries for a decade, including seeing a brief thaw in October 2024 when Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of Government meeting. After India launched Operation Sindoor in May to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Singh told Pakistan to hand over the dreaded terrorists operating from its soil. In an interview with Israel's i24NEWS last month, Singh said that the 'new normal' is India's offensive strategy against terrorism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The ceasefire is still holding on but we have made it very clear that Operation Sindoor is paused. It's not yet over,' the Indian Ambassador to Israel said, adding that the fight against terrorism will continue. He pointed out that India has taken a new stance. 'We have set a new normal and the new normal is that we will follow an offensive strategy. Wherever terrorists are we have to kill those terrorists and we have to destroy their terrorist infrastructure.' Singh said that 'ceasefire is intact' for now. He also called on Pakistan to hand over high-profile terrorists, including Hafiz Saeed, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Sajid Mir. Singh talks from experience as he has overseen the fallout of the Pathankot and Uri terror attacks. When he was the Joint Secretary (IPA), India and Pakistan clashed over the 2019 Pulwama attacks. They suspended trade ties and recalled High Commissioners after the abrogation of Article 370. Singh also supervised discussions to build the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims, as per The Hindu. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Pakistan, Singh led the diplomatic rescue mission of Indian national Uzma Ahmed in 2017 after she was forced into a marriage at gunpoint. Netflix's movie The Diplomat revolves around the case, capturing Singh's skills while taking on a high-stakes mission. With inputs from agencies
Mint
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Iran eases airspace restrictions for India; students and pilgrims among 1,000 Indians to return from Mashhad
In an exemption for India, Iran will ease airspace restrictions for three evacuation flights, which will bring back around 1,000 Indians. According to sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), majority of these Indians are students and pilgrims who were moved to Tehran from Mashhad. The three flights – one of which will reach India late on Friday night – will be operated by Iranian airlines. Two more flights are expected to reach India by tomorrow afternoon. Assuring India that all its citizens are safe in Iran, officials said more flights will be organised if needed. Iran shut its airspace until further notice after Israel carried out air strikes on multiple targets across the country, including the capital, Tehran, on June 13. The Indian government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran in view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. Arriving in New Delhi from the conflict zone in Iran under India's Operation Sindhu, Indian students expressed their gratitude to the central government for evacuating them directly from their doorstep. They described the situation in Iran as "bad", noting that people there are extremely "scared". An Indian student, Sheikh Afsa, on board the flight carrying 110 nationals under Operation Sindhu, praised the government's efforts to ensure a safe evacuation upon returning to Delhi, saying that the government evacuated them 'from their doors'. "We are happy to return here, but we are also worried about our studies. The situation there (Iran) is bad, and people are scared. The (Indian) government literally evacuated us from our dormitory, from our doors; we didn't even expect this much. They helped us at every step; no one faced any problem, and we are grateful to the central government for the role they played in evacuating us," she told ANI. Another evacuated student expressed his gratitude to the Indian government, saying that he was safely back home because of their efforts. "I am happy that I am back in our country. We didn't see any such thing in Urmia, but in other places across Iran, the situation was bad... The government of India helped a lot; that is why we are back home," he stated. The Indian government has decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave, the MEA said in a statement on Thursday. According to the MEA, their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India. The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv would be making arrangements for the evacuation of Indians. All Indian nationals are requested to register themselves with the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv at ( if not already registered. In case of any queries, they may contact the 24/7 Control Room established at Embassy of India, Tel Aviv: telephone numbers: 972 54-7520711; 972 54-3278392; email: The Embassy also reiterates its earlier advisories urging all Indian citizens in Israel to remain vigilant and strictly follow the safety guidelines issued by Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command. "Indian government accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely," the MEA said, adding that the embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance.
India.com
4 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Iran Israel war: Major relief for India as Iran decides to..., 1,000 students set to return to Delhi tonight after...
Iran Israel war: Major relief for India as Iran decides to..., 1,000 students set to return to Delhi tonight after... Iran-Israel war: Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran war, Tehran has closed airspace. However, Iran exclusively for India, has opened its otherwise closed airspace. Following which, 1,000 Indian students stranded in conflict-hit Iranian cities are expected to land in Delhi in the next two days as part of the government's emergency evacuation programme, Operation Sindhu. The first flight is due to land at 11:00 PM IST tonight. The second and third flights are scheduled for Saturday, one in the morning and another in the evening. More than 4,000 Indian nationals are living in Iran and half of them are students. The Iranian airspace remains closed to most international flights following ongoing missile exchanges and drone attacks involving Israeli and Iranian forces. However, India has been granted an exclusive corridor to carry out the evacuation of its students. Operation Sindhu India on Wednesday announced launching 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran as the Persian Gulf nation's conflict with Israel showed no sign of letting up. Iranian embassy officials in Delhi said the Iranian foreign ministry was in close touch with the Indian mission in Tehran after some students were injured. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. 110 Indian students already evacuated The MEA said the Indian embassy in Tehran has evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran, assisting them in safely crossing over into Armenia on Tuesday. The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of the Indian missions in Iran and Armenia.
