The recent escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel plunged hundreds of Indian students and citizens into a harrowing ordeal, culminating in a dramatic series of evacuations under Operation Sindhu.

As the conflict intensified, Indian nationals, many of them medical students from Kashmir and other regions, found themselves caught in the crossfire, with their lives upended by the constant threat of airstrikes, the chilling wail of sirens, and the ever-present uncertainty of war.

The evacuation operation, coordinated by the Indian government, saw three charter flights—two from Mashhad, Iran, and one from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan—successfully bring back 827 Indian nationals by June 22, 2025.

A fourth flight was scheduled to arrive later that night, expected to push the total number of evacuees past 1,000. These flights were the culmination of a perilous journey that began in Tehran, moved through Qom, and ended in Mashhad, covering a distance of over 450 kilometers as students and other citizens were shuttled to safer locations for extraction.

For many evacuees, the trauma of their experience was evident. Mizban, one of the returning students, described seeing dead bodies, hearing the thunder of blasts, and witnessing airstrikes firsthand. The constant movement from city to city, the uncertainty of safety, and the fear of the unknown left her visibly shaken as she stepped onto Indian soil, clutching the national flag and struggling to process her return to safety.

For families back home, the ordeal was equally agonizing. Zubeda, a mother from Srinagar, recounted the anguish of limited communication with her son, a medical student in Tehran, as internet shutdowns and the chaos of war made contact sporadic and fraught with anxiety.

The stories of the students paint a vivid picture of life under siege. Junaid, whose siblings were among the evacuees, recalled the terror of losing contact during the internet blackout and the proximity of university buildings to bombed zones. Sumarah Rahman, another Kashmiri student, spoke of sleepless nights filled with sirens and explosions, while Ahabashi, a final-year student, reflected on the abrupt transformation of Tehran from a bustling city to a war zone, and the profound fear of dying far from home.

The evacuation itself was a complex and risky operation. Iran, despite its own crisis and closed airspace, made a rare exception to facilitate the Indian rescue mission, a gesture acknowledged by India's Deputy Chief of Mission in Tehran, Mohammad Javad Hosseini.

The cooperation extended to the evacuation of pilgrims and students scattered across various universities and seminaries. The Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association expressed deep gratitude for the Indian government's relentless efforts and coordination with Iranian authorities, emphasizing the importance of continued support for those still stranded in vulnerable regions.

While relief and gratitude were palpable among the returnees and their families, the future remains uncertain for many. The students had chosen Iran for its affordable medical education, a path often blocked by fierce competition and high costs in India.

Now, with their studies interrupted and the spectre of conflict looming, their dreams hang in the balance. As Zubeda poignantly stated, she wants her son to follow his dream of becoming a doctor, but not at the cost of enduring the horrors of war again.

Operation Sindhu stands as a testament to the resilience of the evacuees, the dedication of their families, and the coordinated efforts of the Indian government in the face of an international crisis. Yet, it also highlights the vulnerabilities faced by Indian students abroad and the difficult choices that lie ahead as they weigh the pursuit of their ambitions against the risks of an uncertain world.

Based On A NDTV Report