This is not the first time the Indian government has helped its citizens return home either from a strife-torn country or in the case of an emergency like earthquake or COVID
Spelling a major relief for their families, hundreds of Indian nationals from Iran are safely returning home under Operation Sindhu—the mission launched by the Indian government to evacuate its nationals from Iran and Israel amid escalations of hostilities between the two countries.
The government has extended operations to Israel to help evacuate Indians who ‘wish to leave’ Israel amid growing tensions.
However, this is not the first time that the Indian government has helped its citizens return home whether it is from a strife-torn country or in the case of emergencies like earthquake and COVID.
Beginning with the 1990 Kuwait Airlift when as many as 170,000 Indians were evacuated by airlift during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August–October 1990, India has launched several operations to bring nationals home.
During the Kuwait Airlift, the then Foreign Minister I.K. Gujral was instrumental in getting Iraq to cooperate in the efforts that also led the flag carrier of India into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people evacuated by a civil airliner. Some prominent Kuwait-based Indians also helped in the government’s endeavour.
Other bring-Indians-home efforts include Operation Sukoon (Lebanon, 2006) when around 1,764 nationals were evacuated by naval vessels during the Lebanon war; Operation Safe Homecoming (Libya, 2011) when around 15,000 Indians were rescued via sea and air during the Libyan civil war; Operation Maitri (Nepal earthquake, 2015) when around 5,000 citizens were airlifted after the devastating earthquake and Operation Raahat in the same year when around 4,700 Indians and 960 foreign nationals were evacuated from Yemen during conflict zone operations
The list also includes evacuation from Brussels in 2016 and Operation Sankat Mochan in South Sudan in the same year.
During Operation Samudra Setu (2020) and Vande Bharat Mission (2020–21) six million nationals repatriated through commercial and special flights during the COVID-19 crisis
During Operation Devi Shakti in 2021, Indian and foreign nationals were evacuated after Taliban takeover in Afghanistan; in Operation Ganga (Ukraine, 2022) 18,000–25,000 Indian citizens were brought back from Ukraine during the Russia–Ukraine war.
In Operation Kaveri in 2023, Indians were evacuated amid the Sudan crisis and in the same year India also launched Operation Ajay to bring back its nationals from Israel during the Hamas-Israel conflict.
