On March 16, 2026, nearly 650 Indian nationals have successfully exited Iran, crossing into neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan. This mass movement comes amid escalating tensions and ongoing conflict involving Israel and the United States against Iran.
The Ministry of External Affairs reported that over 550 Indians entered Armenia, while about 90 crossed into Azerbaijan. These evacuations were coordinated by the Indian embassy in Tehran, which assisted with visas and immigration formalities. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the ministry, highlighted that many of these individuals were pilgrims, with some already having returned to India.
The closure of Iranian airspace since February 28 forced these nationals to resort to land routes. Previously, hundreds of Indian students were relocated from Tehran to safer areas. At the onset of hostilities, around 9,000 Indians were present in Iran.
Despite the challenges, the Indian embassy in Tehran remains operational, maintaining contact with Indian seafarers and fishermen. Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha noted the successful repatriation of 286 Indian seafarers from the Gulf region.
Aseem Mahajan of the External Affairs Ministry emphasized ongoing monitoring of the West Asian situation to ensure the safety of 10 million Indians residing there. Since the conflict began, 220,000 passengers have returned to India from the region, with flights operating from various Middle Eastern countries to facilitate this process.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, March 17, 2026
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