Operation Sindhu Evacuation from Iran

• 19 Jun 2025

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

India announced launching ‘Operation Sindhu’ to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran through Armenia as fears of an all-out Israeli-American military strikes on Iran increased. 

• It highlighted Armenia’s crucial role as a strategic and viable evacuation route, thanks to its geographic position and strong diplomatic ties with India. 
• Iran borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north. It shares borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, Iraq to the west, Turkey to the northwest, and has a southern coastline along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.  

 

What Makes Armenia Strategically Important for Operation Sindhu? 

• Geostrategic Location: Armenia’s 44-km border with Iran and the Nurduz-Agarak crossing, linked to Tehran by a 730 km highway, provide the most practical and safe land route for swift Indian evacuation. 
• Limited Alternatives: Other borders pose challenges: 
  • Pakistan: Geopolitical tensions (post-Operation Sindoor) made the Iran-Pakistan border inaccessible. 
  • Turkey & Azerbaijan: Both support Pakistan, making their borders with Iran unfavorable for India. 
  • Afghanistan: No diplomatic ties with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. 
  • Iraq & Turkmenistan: Iraq is an active conflict zone with airports closed, while Turkmenistan’s border is remote and underdeveloped. 
• Strong Diplomatic Relations: Armenia’s support for India at international fora (e.g. Kashmir issue, UNSC seat). 
  • In 2022, India surpassed Russia as Armenia’s top military supplier with a USD 250 million deal for PINAKA rocket launchers, Akash-1S air defense, and other weapons. 
• Regional Connectivity: Armenia is integral to the International North-South Transport Corridor, aligning with India’s broader strategy to secure trade and evacuation routes through the Caucasus region. 

What are Other Key Indian Evacuation Operations? 

Operation	Year	Location	Context
Operation Kaveri	2023	Sudan	Evacuation during violent military clashes
Operation Ajay	2023	Israel	Evacuation during the Israel–Hamas conflict
Operation Ganga	2022	Ukraine	Evacuation during the Russia-Ukraine war
Operation Devi Shakti	2021	Afghanistan	Evacuation after Taliban takeover
Operation Samudra Setu	2020	Various (via sea)	Evacuation during Covid-19 pandemic (Vande Bharat Mission)
Operation Raahat	2015	Yemen	Evacuation during civil conflict
Operation Safe Homecoming	2011	Libya	Evacuation during civil war in Arab Spring

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)  

Q. Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries? (2017)

1. Jordan  
2. Iraq  
3. Lebanon  
4. Syria  

Select the correct answer using the code given below:  

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only  

(b) 2 and 3 only  

(c) 3 and 4 only  

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only  

Ans: (c)  

Q. The term “two-state solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (2018)

(a) China  

(b) Israel  

(c) Iraq  

(d) Yemen  

Ans: (b)