Iran-Israel conflict: 90 Kashmiri students among 110 Indians evacuated to Armenia
Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, at least 110 Indian students, including 90 from Kashmir, were safely evacuated to Armenia.
Iran is home to more than 4,000 Indian nationals, about half of them students. Many of the students are from Jammu and Kashmir and are enrolled in medical and other professional courses.
Jammu and Kashmir students' association president Nasir Khuhami, who has been in touch with the stranded students, said, 'Ninety students from Kashmir Valley, along with others from different states, which takes the number to 110, have safely crossed into Armenia. Most of them are students of Urmia Medical University.'
Apart from that around 600 other students, primarily from Kashmir, have reached the Iranian city of Qom. 'They had left Tehran on Monday morning. They will be staying in a hotel for three days, as arranged jointly by the university and the Indian Embassy.'
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement, said the Indian Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance.
'Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy,' it said.
The statement did not give the number of students who had been moved out of the capital city or say where they had been taken.
MEA helpline numbers
In another statement, the MEA said a 24x7 control room has been established in the ministry in view of the ongoing developments in Iran and Israel. The contact details of the control room are as under: 1800118797 (toll-free) +91-11-23012113 +91-11-23014104 +91-11-23017905 +91-9968291988 (Whatsapp) situationroom@mea.gov.in.
In addition, the Embassy of India in Tehran has set up a 24x7 emergency helpline, the MEA said and shared contact details.
'For calls only: +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109; For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709; Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036; Zahedan: +98 9396356649; cons.tehran@mea.gov.in (email),' it said.
Earlier, J&K chief minister (CM) Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had sought Centre's intervention for safeguarding Kashmiri students studying in Iran, and the J&K Students Association had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same.
Kashmiri students usually opt for Iranian universities because of their affordability and similar cultural milieu. The students are spread across cities such as Tehran, Shiraz and Qom.
Prominent Shia leader and general secretary of Peoples Conference Imran Reza Ansari wrote on X: 'Spoke to HE Ambassador of Republic of India in Iran Rudra Gaurav Shresth. He is personally monitoring the situation and is ensuring the safety of the Indian nationals and students from Jammu and Kashmir. They are working on evacuation of the students in Tehran to a safer location for the time being. We have complete faith and trust in all the officials at the mission in Tehran.'
(With inputs from PTI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
34 minutes ago
- News18
'Iran Can Never Have Nuclear Weapon': G7 Leaders Sign Joint Statement Amid Middle East Conflict
Last Updated: Iran Nuclear Weapons: G7 leaders opined that Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons and called for de-escalation in the Middle East, including a Gaza ceasefire. G7 Summit 2025: The G7 leaders signed a joint statement Monday night saying Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon", as they urged a 'broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza". The G7 leaders also stressed Israel had the right to defend itself in the escalating Middle East crisis. 'We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself," the statement read. 'We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," it added. 'We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza," the statement read. On his part, US President Donald Trump said Iran 'is not winning this war, and they should talk immediately before it's too late". Trump also warned that Tehran needs to curb its nuclear programme before it's 'too late." He said Iranian leaders would 'like to talk", but they had already had 60 days to reach an agreement on their nuclear ambitions and failed to do so before the Israeli aerial assault began. 'They have to make a deal," he said. Asked what it would take for the US to get involved in the conflict militarily, Trump said Monday morning, 'I don't want to talk about that.' The G7 originated as a 1973 finance ministers' meeting to address the oil crisis and evolved into a yearly summit meant to foster personal relationships among world leaders and address global problems. It briefly expanded to the G8 with Russia as a member, only for Russia to be expelled in 2014 after annexing Crimea and taking a foothold in Ukraine that preceded its aggressive 2022 invasion of that nation. First Published: June 17, 2025, 09:45 IST
The Hindu
35 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Trump's tariffs will offer India certain advantages, says Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran
The reciprocal tariffs unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2 could offer India certain tariff advantages compared to other countries, V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, has said. Dr. Nageswaran was speaking on 'Global economic trends: India's challenges and prospects' at Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday. He said a 90-day 'pause' is on till July 9 with respect to the tariffs, but whatever was announced on April 2 gives India certain advantages, especially in labour-intensive manufacturing areas such as textiles, leather products and chemicals. 'One of the mistakes we all make is looking at the tariffs from only the Indian point of view; 'Oh, now we have a higher tariff!'. But what matters is not just your tariff, it also matters what others face. If your competition is going to face higher tariffs you are at an advantage. And that is what is happening to India in a few areas,' he said. On energy transition, Dr. Nageswaran urged caution against the unbridled injection of solar and wind energy, which are characterised by intermittency, into the grid. Pointing out that coal will continue to remain critical, he advocated their slower penetration into the grid. While renewables will continue to increase driven by India's commitment to clean energy, it will be done in proportion, he said. 'The world has no precedent of so much solar and wind energy coming into the grids. The grids are not ready for the intermittency. If we need backups for everything, what is the point? It's double the investment cost. That is the challenge.' It is in this context that the Union Budget announcement with respect to small modular reactors and the decision to open the nuclear energy sector to the private sector assumes significance, he said. In global manufacturing, India should aim to make itself indispensable as China has done over the past 30 years, Dr. Nageswaran said. This assumes significance given the growing uncertainty factor in the global economic scenario which prompts countries to increasingly look inward, and India's high dependence on China for components in vital sectors. 'The vulnerability of dependence on one source for many products will turn much sharper in the coming years. We have to think of what are the other sources we can rely on as an alternative to China,' he said. Given its size, India can develop as a more reliable and trusted alternative source to China, he said. 'Vietnam, Mexico, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia lack the size to even take a shot at matching what China has done in the last thirty years. That is our opportunity,' he said. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Rajendra Vishawanath Arlekar said that, henceforth, Raj Bhavan will not only be for the Governor who resides there. Rather, Raj Bhavan will be a 'Lok Bhavan,' as it is the people's asset, he said. 'Earlier the concept was that Raj Bhavan has to be a secluded place, away from the people and society. The gates of Raj Bhavan were never opened for all of us,' he said.
India.com
35 minutes ago
- India.com
Iran or Israel? Which country is more important for India, why is New Delhi in a dilemma?
Iran or Israel? Which country is more important for India, why is New Delhi in a dilemma? New Delhi: The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating every day. This has increased India's tension for energy security, trade routes and commercial relations. In view of this, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has recently reached out to the Indian government and advised it to review energy risk scenarios, diversify crude oil sources and ensure strategic reserves of oil. The report urges the Indian government to ensure that the country's strategic oil reserves are sufficient to deal with any potential crisis. As per a report by GTRI, India, which is not directly involved in Iran-Israel conflict, cannot remain unaffected. The report also recommends promoting diplomatic efforts in the Arabian Sea. India's Trade With Iran, Israel GTRI has raised an alarm that rising tensions in West Asia are posing a threat to India's energy security, trade routes and commercial relations. The report also highlights that growing Israel-Iran conflict could have a major impact on the economy of India. It is to be noted that, New Delhi has trade relations with both the countries. In FY- 2024-2025, India exported goods worth USD1.24 billion to Iran and imported USD441.9 billion goods. Trade with Israel is even bigger as It includes exports of USD2.15 billion and imports of SD1.61 billion. India's foreign policy has always been not to be a part of any one group (non-alignment). It wants to maintain its independent relations with both the countries. India's Biggest Concern As a country with the largest population, India's biggest concern is energy. About two-thirds of crude oil and half of its LNG imports pass through Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that is now threatened by Iran. The Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of the global oil trade. Notably, India imports over 80 percent of its energy needs. In such a situation, any kind of disruption or halt at the Strait of Hormuz could lead to increase in oil prices, shipping costs and insurance premiums. GTRI said that the situation could increase the inflation rate, weaken rupee and pose challenges to the government's financial planning. A significant portion (approx 30%) of India's exports to Europe, North Africa, and the US East Coast traverse the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Disruptions to this route could add up to two weeks to transit times, necessitating a longer journey around the Cape of Good Hope and leading to substantially higher freight costs. This will negatively impact Indian exports, including engineering goods, textiles, and chemicals, and increase the price of essential imports. What does India need to do? GTRI reports rising casualties in an ongoing conflict, further exacerbated by the breakdown of US-Iran nuclear talks. This situation is impacting regional financial markets. GTRI advises India to proactively address potential energy risks by diversifying its oil sources and verifying the sufficiency of its strategic reserves. A report emphasises the necessity of enhanced military readiness in the Arabian Sea, particularly near vital shipping routes. Simultaneously, it recommends India leverage international platforms like the G20 and the UN to advocate for peace, conflict resolution, and the safeguarding of global trade.
