A group of 110 Indian students, evacuated from conflict-hit Iran under ‘Operation Sindhu’, expressed gratitude to the Indian government for ensuring their safe return. However, the students criticized the poor condition of the buses arranged by the Jammu and Kashmir government for their journey home from Delhi.
The students, all enrolled at Urmia Medical University in Iran, arrived in New Delhi early Thursday morning after a challenging evacuation route that included stops in Armenia and Doha. India coordinated the evacuation as part of its effort to rescue nationals amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.
Ali, one of the students, described the danger they faced. “It was a difficult journey for us. There were a lot of attacks, mostly in Tehran,” he told NDTV. “We were very scared,” he added, recalling how a missile landed near their bus during the trip.
Ali thanked the Indian embassy for their timely support. “They (the Indian embassy officials) first helped us cross the land border to Armenia, where we stayed for a day. Then we came to Delhi,” he said.
Operation Sindhu begins 🇮🇳.
India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a… pic.twitter.com/8WJom7wh5f
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 18, 2025
Complaints Over Bus Conditions Spark Response from J&K Government
While the students expressed relief at being back in India in Operation Sindhu, many voiced dissatisfaction with the transport arrangements made for their return to Jammu and Kashmir.
Shaikh Afsa, a student from Kashmir, said, “We are tired and it would be difficult for us to travel back to our homes in a bus.” She added that the buses provided were not in a “stable condition” and requested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to make alternate arrangements.
The Chief Minister has taken note of the request of the students evacuated from Iran regarding the quality of buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J&K. The Resident Commissioner has been tasked with coordinating with the JKRTC to ensure proper deluxe buses are arranged.
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) June 19, 2025
Another student echoed her concerns and stressed the urgency of returning to Iran once the situation stabilizes. “We have our practical classes and we need to return as soon as possible,” she said.
The office of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged the issue and issued a statement. “We have taken note of the request of the students and are coordinating with the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation to ensure proper deluxe buses for them,” the statement said.
Escalating Conflict Between Israel and Iran Affects Students
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has disrupted academic life for many Indian students in the region. The crisis began when the Israeli military launched “Operation Rising Lion” last Friday, targeting key Iranian cities based on intelligence that Iran was nearing nuclear weapons capability.
More than 250 people have died in cross-border attacks, including over 220 fatalities in Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes in a late-night video message.
Referring to Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, Netanyahu said, “We are advancing step by step to remove these threats.” “We are striking the Ayatollahs’ regime with great force. We are attacking nuclear installations, missiles, command centres and the symbols of the regime,” he declared. Netanyahu also claimed that Israeli forces now “control the skies over Tehran.”
With over 4,000 Indian nationals, including thousands of students, residing in Iran, the Indian government continues to monitor the situation closely as tensions escalate across the region.
