Indian mission in Israel: 160 nationals evacuated in first batch under Op Sindhu

Jerusalem: With Israeli airspace closed and commercial flights suspended, the Indian missions in Israel and Jordan jointly evacuated 160 Indian nationals in the first batch under Operation Sindhu on Sunday, according to an embassy source.

The missions organised the first batch of evacuation from Israel as the Indian nationals living in Israel constantly grappled with the sounds of sirens, frequently taking cover in bunkers and fortified safe rooms from incoming missiles and drones from Iran. “The first group of 160 Indian nationals evacuated from Israel have successfully crossed the Israel-Jordan border and are now safe in Jordan,” officials told the news agency.

“Arrangements have been made for their return to India, with a special evacuation flight scheduled to depart early tomorrow morning,” they said.

The Indian nationals reached the Jordanian border for evacuation earlier, the embassy sources told the news agency.

The Indian embassy in Amman is looking after their accommodation and transportation.

India launched Operation Sindhu last week to bring back Indians from Iran and Israel as hostilities between the two nations increased.

Sensing the urgency of the situation, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv last week set up a 24/7 control room to oversee all facets of the evacuation efforts, the source said.

The control room directed Indian nationals to register via an online portal and compiled a detailed database of Indian citizens across Israel, it said.

“Evacuation priorities were determined based on medical emergencies, the presence of young children, women, and students. Embassy officials proactively contacted registrants by phone and email to confirm travel details and allocate them to specific evacuation flights,” the source said.

The situation on the ground is being closely monitored at the highest levels of the government, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively receiving real-time updates on the safety and security of the Indian nationals, the source said.

“This operation underscores India’s unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. Operation Sindhu is yet another testament to India’s emergence as a credible ‘first responder’ in international crises,” a statement from the Indian mission said. The Indian nationals scheduled to be evacuated in the first batch gathered at designated assembly points in Tel Aviv and Haifa early Sunday morning and were then taken by road to the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the Israel-Jordan border, some 120 kilometres from here.

After completing immigration and border formalities at the Israel-Jordanian border, the group proceeded to Amman Airport, another 120 kilometres ride.

Arvind Shukla, a researcher from Hebrew University who was evacuated on Sunday morning, praised “the smooth and carefully planned process” by the embassy under “difficult circumstances”, and told the news agency: “I have completed the visa process and have already moved to the Jordanian side. The embassy was extremely helpful in facilitating our journey, and we were looked after well.”

The Israeli and Jordanian governments extended crucial support in ensuring the safe and orderly transit of Indian nationals across the border, the mission in Tel Aviv said.

The Embassy of India in Jordan played a key role in receiving the evacuees at the border to further facilitate their onward journey to Amman Airport, it said.

Special flights from Amman to New Delhi have been arranged by the Ministry of External Affairs to safely fly Indian nationals home.