Indian Evacuees Chant "Hindustan Zindabad" As 2nd Batch Returns From Iran
Chants of "Hindustan Zindabad" echoed through the Delhi Airport on Friday night as a flight carrying the second batch of Indian students evacuated from Iran landed. The flight, carrying 290 Indians - mostly from Jammu and Kashmir - reached India shortly after Iran lifted its airspace restrictions for India's 'Operation Sindhu'.
The flight carrying the evacuees landed at 11:30 last night. While the evacuation was arranged by New Delhi, the flights were operated by Iranian airline Mahan.
The evacuees also chanted slogans like "Modi Zindabad" and waved flags.
One of the evacuees, a woman, cried tears of joy. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government, she said she found solace upon landing in India.
"If there is anything that can be called a solace in life, it is in India," she told NDTV.
Other evacuees also thanked the Centre and said they did not face any difficulties during their journey. While in Tehran, the students recalled hearing the sounds of bombings.
Most of the evacuated Indians in the second batch are medical students pursuing MBBS degrees at Iranian universities.
"#OperationSindhu flight brings citizens home. India evacuated 290 Indian nationals from Iran, including students and religious pilgrims, by a charter flight. The flight arrived in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 20 June and was received by Secretary (CPV& OIA) Arun Chatterjee," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X.
The first batch carrying 110 Indian students were brought back on Thursday night. They were transited via Armenia and Doha before they boarded a flight to Delhi. Another flight from Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat is scheduled to arrive in Delhi later today.
Thousands of Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, are stranded in Iran. According to the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, around 10,000 Indians are living in Iran, and those wishing to return home are being evacuated.
India launched 'Operation Sindhu' earlier this week after tensions between Iran and Israel escalated, with both sides attacking each other. The air war began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran, in what it said was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons - an ambition Tehran denies. The attack raised alarms in a region that has been on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.
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The module refers to India's defence systems: 'Our integrated air defence grid and Counter-UAS grid were already in place. These systems—like the S-400, MRSAM, AKASH, and traditional air defence guns—proved highly effective. Along with legacy platforms like Pechora, L-70, ZU-23 and OSA-AK, we created a layered defence.' On May 8, India targeted select Pakistani air defence systems and sensor networks using precision air launched munitions, and 'it was a calibrated response—sending a strong message while avoiding civilian population.' Pakistan's ceasefire violations continued on May 9, and they intensified attacks not only on military sites, but also schools, religious places, and civilian infrastructure, killing 14 Indian civilians, it added. The Indian army 'neutralized 35-40 Pakistani Army personnel.' In another attack on May 10, Pakistan targeted Indian Air Force bases, army ammo depots and cantonments, but 'not one critical Indian asset was damaged.' 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