India Ensures Safe Passage Amid West Asia Conflict: 1,200 Evacuated

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday the successful evacuation of over 1,200 Indian nationals from Iran against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in West Asia. During an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal elaborated on the coordinated efforts with Armenia and Azerbaijan that facilitated the operation.

Jaiswal specified that of the 1,200 evacuated, 845 were students. He explained that 996 individuals have proceeded to Armenia and 204 to Azerbaijan, with the MEA actively assisting them in transit. The Ministry has been diligently collaborating with Indian missions and local authorities to secure the safe return of these citizens.

Additional focus was cast on diplomatic engagements, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi conversed with international leaders, including Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The dialogue addressed the ongoing West Asian conflict, threats to energy infrastructure, and navigation security. Furthermore, close to 624,000 passengers have returned to India since late February, underscoring heightened security measures.