New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday that India has safely brought back home 2,361 people since the beginning of the conflict in West Asia.
Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that these 2,361 people include Indian students, fishermen and also three foreigners.
Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (April 17, 2026)
https://t.co/Zzt95VO2e3— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 17, 2026
“Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have helped bring 2,361 Indian citizens safely from Iran to India. Of these, 2,060 came via Armenia and 301 via Azerbaijan. This 2,361 includes 1,041 Indian students, as well as three foreigners – one from Bangladesh, one from Sri Lanka, and one from Guyana. We have also helped three of them. I had told you before that nearly 7,500 Indian nationals were present in Iran at that time,” he said.
MEA’s statement comes amid a two-week ceasefire reached between Iran and the United States, which took effect April 8.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar announced that another 312 Indian fishermen were safely evacuated from Iran to India through Armenia. He further thanked the government of Armenia for making it possible April 11 .
“Another 312 Indian fishermen safely evacuated from Iran to India through Armenia. Thank the Government of Armenia and my friend Ararat Mirzoyan for making it possible. Armenia has been facilitating the evacuation of Indian nationals in Iran,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
The Indian Embassy in Iran advised Indian nationals still in Iran to expeditiously leave the country in coordination with the Embassy and by using the routes suggested by the Embassy April 8. It warned Indian nationals in Iran against attempting to approach any international land border without prior consultation and coordination with the Embassy. The Embassy also released emergency numbers for Indian nationals in Iran.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities February 28, killing Iran’s then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US interests in the Middle East, and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz.
