New Delhi: As hostilities deepen between Israel and Iran, the Indian government on 19 June announced plans to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indians seeking to leave will be assisted in crossing land borders from Israel, from where they will be flown back to India.
The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv has been tasked with coordinating the evacuation efforts and has urged Indian citizens currently in Israel to register with the embassy.
The decision comes amid mounting security concerns, especially as Tel Aviv and other cities face ongoing Iranian attacks.
This follows India’s launch of Operation Sindhu on 18 June to facilitate the evacuation of its citizens from Iran, where rising tensions had prompted the government to advise Indians to leave Tehran. The continuing volatility in the region has now necessitated similar action in Israel.
India is home to a sizeable community of around 38,000 citizens living in Israel, comprising mainly caregivers for elderly Israelis, diamond merchants, IT professionals, students and workers in the construction and agriculture sectors.
While emphasising the importance of citizen safety, the government stated that it “accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad” and will “continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Meanwhile, evacuation efforts are already underway in Iran. A special flight carrying 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University landed in Delhi on 19 June via Yerevan. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received the group at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Singh said the government had so far received evacuation requests from 350 Indians in Iran and added, “We have more planes on standby. We are making every effort to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from Iran. It is a major responsibility and we are committed to fulfilling it.”
