India mobilizes evacuation plans for nationals amid Iran unrest

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was preparing to facilitate the return of Indian nationals from Iran as widespread anti-government protests escalated and authorities mounted a severe crackdown. The advisory issued on Jan. 15 urged all Indians in Iran — students, pilgrims, businesspeople and tourists — to leave by any available means, including commercial flights, and asked nationals to register with the Indian embassy in Tehran.

The embassy activated four emergency helplines for urgent assistance: +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109, +98 9128109102 and +98 9932179359. Officials said registration efforts have been slowed by an ongoing internet shutdown in Iran, and family members in India were advised they can register relatives using the MEA’s online portal. Government sources said New Delhi was assessing a range of options to assist and evacuate citizens while framing the effort as facilitation rather than a mandatory recall.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke by phone with Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Jan. 14 to discuss the unrest and rising regional tensions. Iranian authorities have reopened airspace to civilian traffic after a temporary closure, and officials reported that the first evacuation flight from Tehran to Delhi was scheduled to depart on Jan. 16. Embassy staff said students identified for the first departure, including those from Golestan University and a small number from SBUMS and TUMS, had been registered with passports collected and were told to be ready by 8:00 a.m.

Commercial aviation is already adjusting to the disruption. Air India said flights that normally overfly Iran would use alternative routes and warned of possible delays. Rerouting increases flight times and fuel consumption, and carriers typically face higher operational costs and insurance premiums in volatile airspaces — factors that can ripple into ticket prices and airline schedules in the short term.

The evacuation preparations come amid intensified international activity. The U.S. administration announced new Iran-related sanctions targeting more than a dozen individuals and entities and kept military options publicly on the table. U.S. President Donald Trump was reported as saying he had been told "that killing in Iran has stopped," while also not ruling out military action. Regional states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman are said to be leading diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

Tehran has publicly vowed to defend itself against foreign threats and indicated it may pursue fast trials and executions in its domestic crackdown. Those measures increase the risk profile for foreign nationals and complicate consular operations when local legal systems move quickly and communications are impaired.

For New Delhi, the immediate priority is safeguarding citizens and maintaining clear channels for repatriation under constrained conditions. The episode highlights wider policy challenges for countries with sizable expatriate communities in politically volatile states: the need for up-to-date registration systems, contingency airlift planning and diplomatic engagement to keep evacuation corridors open. Economically, the combination of sanctions and regional instability could pressure energy markets and complicate supply-chain planning if disruptions persist, while airlines may face sustained cost pressures from extended routings.

Officials stressed that plans remain subject to operational constraints on the ground, including Iran’s internal security measures and infrastructure disruptions. New Delhi’s approach so far blends active consular facilitation with diplomatic engagement aimed at ensuring safe, orderly departures for those who choose to leave.