India to evacuate Nepalese from Iran

Kathmandu

India has assured Nepal of assistance in evacuating its citizens stranded in conflict-hit Iran, following a formal request from Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba. The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, which have escalated into active military conflict.

According to an official statement from Dr. Deuba’s secretariat, 16 Nepali nationals, including five currently held in Iranian prisons for immigration-related offenses, are awaiting evacuation. The request was conveyed to Indian authorities through India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava.

Expressing her gratitude on social media platform X, Dr. Deuba thanked Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar for India’s prompt and supportive response. “India’s support in Nepal’s evacuation efforts is a reflection of the strength of Nepal-India ties,” she wrote.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran confirmed that Nepalese and Sri Lankan nationals would be included in India’s broader evacuation operation, named Operation Sindhu. The embassy stated, “On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of both countries.”

Dr. Deuba has also directed Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Shankar Sharma, to coordinate directly with Indian authorities to ensure the safe repatriation of its nationals. Efforts are underway to secure the release of the five imprisoned individuals as part of the evacuation process.

The Indian mission is currently conducting evacuations for Indian nationals amid growing hostilities in Iran, and the inclusion of Nepalese citizens reflects the expanding humanitarian role of Operation Sindhu.