In the escalating conflict gripping Iran, thousands of Indian nationals, especially students, face grave danger amid airstrikes and regional tensions. Panic has taken hold, with families across India—particularly in Jammu and Kashmir—enduring agonizing waits for news of their loved ones. Nearly 3,000 Indian students remain trapped in cities like Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad, enduring blackouts, dwindling supplies, and the constant threat of explosions.
Around 2,000 of these students hail from the Kashmir Valley. These bright young individuals, many pursuing affordable medical education abroad due to limited options at home, now find themselves confined to hostels, rationing essentials while sirens pierce the night. Their families in Srinagar, Sopore, Anantnag, and Baramulla spend sleepless nights glued to phones and social media, hearts heavy with fear. Parents clutch old photographs, whispering prayers, terrified that their children’s dreams of a brighter future could end in tragedy.
The Government of India has a proud record of safeguarding its citizens in crises abroad. Operation Ganga during the Russia-Ukraine war remains a powerful example: over 22,000 Indians, including thousands from Kashmir, were evacuated swiftly through special flights and determined diplomacy. Those same students—and their peers now stranded in Iran—deserve the same urgency and protection. The situations are strikingly similar: young Indians caught in foreign conflicts, desperately calling for rescue as war surrounds them.
Though the Ministry of External Affairs has issued advisories, set up control rooms, and facilitated some relocations and partial evacuations, hundreds still remain in high-risk areas. Airspace closures and spreading hostilities create real challenges, yet India’s successful operations in Yemen, Sudan, and Ukraine demonstrate that resolve and creativity can prevail. Safe corridors via neighboring countries, coordination with international partners, and prioritized flights—especially for vulnerable Valley students—must be mobilized immediately.
This goes beyond logistics; it is a matter of national responsibility and deep compassion. Failing to act decisively would erode the trust families place in their government during their darkest hours. Bringing these students home safely would reaffirm India’s unwavering commitment: no citizen left behind in peril.
We earnestly appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to launch a comprehensive evacuation mission without further delay. Recreate the spirit and speed of Operation Ganga. Secure flights, open pathways, and ensure our sons and daughters return to the safety of home. For the families waiting anxiously in the Valley and across the nation, every hour brings more pain. Act swiftly—bring them back before it is too late. Let them return to open arms, security, and renewed hope.
