Lok Sabha Question No. 1378 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Evacuation Preparedness Amid the Iran Crisis
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1378

ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2026

## EVACUATION PREPAREDNESS AMID THE IRAN CRISIS

1378. SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR

Will  the  Minister  of  EXTERNAL  AFFAIRS  be  pleased  to  state: (a)  whether  lessons  have  been  drawn  from  previous  evacuations such as Operation Ganga and Operation Kaveri and if so, the reason for the absence of similar speed, clarity and scale in the Iran crises; (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  responsibility  for  anxiety caused  to  families  of  Indian  nationals  due  to  lack  of  transparent, real-time communication on evacuation timelines, flight details and safety protocols, if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  put  the  information regarding the total number of Indians evacuated so far, those still stranded  and  the  projected  timeline  to  bring  back  all  remaining nationals in public domain;

(d) whether the Government agrees that dependence on commercial airlines during an airspace closure exposed structural weaknesses in India's evacuation framework; and

(e)  whether  a  permanent  rapid-response  evacuation  mechanism  is being  institutionalised,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a to e) Government of India approaches each evacuation scenario based  on  its  specific  features.  This  has enabled  it to safely evacuate  Indians  in  the  most  challenging  situations  like  ongoing armed  conflicts,  closure  of  air  space,  cessation  of  routine  flights etc. Operation Ganga and Operation Kaveri stand testimony to the robustness of the drill that has been worked out for this purpose. In Iran  too,  'Operation  Sindhu'  was  successfully  carried  out  in  June 2025  to  evacuate  Indian  nationals  from  conflict  zones.  A  total  of 4415  Indian  nationals  (3597  from  Iran  and  818  from  Israel)  were evacuated using 19 special evacuation flights (including 3 IAF C-17 aircraft) as routine flight services were not available on account of ongoing hostilities. India was one of the first countries to undertake such rapid evacuation operations despite the complexities involved. The opinion expressed in the question comparing different evacuations is not borne out by facts.

Government accords the highest priority to the safety, security and well  being  of  Indian  nationals  abroad.  The  Government  closely monitors emerging adverse situations abroad and issues advisories, as required, to caution Indian nationals to avoid unnecessary travel, follow safety guidelines issued by the local authorities and remain in touch with Indian Missions. Various communication mechanisms are  in  place  for  Indian  nationals  to  reach  Indian  Missions/Posts, including email, multilingual 24x7 emergency  numbers, social media, toll-free helplines & WhatsApp numbers.  In the beginning of the ongoing protest in Iran, advisories were issued on 5th January and  14th  January  2026  to  caution  Indian  nationals  to  avoid  nonessential  travel  to  Iran,  exercise  due  caution,  avoid  areas  of protests or demonstrations and closely follow Mission's website and social media handles to stay updated and connected.

At present, around 9,000 to 10,000 Indian nationals are residing in Iran, including students, workers, seafarers, etc. The Indian embassy  is  in  continuous  contact  with  the  representatives  of  the Indian community. In the current scenario, Government has not yet undertaken an evacuation operation as commercial flight operations are  continuing  and  Iranian  airspace  remains  open.  Government  is continuing to monitor the situation.

With  a  view  to  swiftly  responding  to  crisis  situations  faced  by overseas  Indian  nationals,  the  Ministry  established  a  dedicated wing  named  the  'Rapid  Response  Cell  (RRC)'  in  2021.  Apart  from evacuation operations, RRC has been actively involved in providing Humanitarian  Assistance  and  Disaster  Relief  (HADR)  support  to partner countries including provision of relief supplies, deployment

of  trained  manpower  for  HADR  operations  and  other  rehabilitation efforts by following a whole-of-government approach.

RRC coordinates evacuation operations involving relevant stakeholders including  local  mission,  IAF,  Indian  Navy,  Ministry  of Civil  Aviation,  etc.  During  evacuation,  24x7  Control  Rooms  are operated  at  headquarters  and  abroad  to  provide  information  and assistance to Indian nationals.

Ministry  is  also  developing  a  digital  emergency  response  solution for use during planning & execution of evacuation operations. The solution  provides  a  platform  to  the  stranded  Indian  nationals  to register  with  basic  and  real-time  information  along  with  current location and seek assistance during crisis situations. The solution was utilized on pilot basis during evacuation operations in 2025.

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