New Delhi, 17 April (H.S.): The Government of India has facilitated the safe evacuation of 2,361 people from Iran since the outbreak of hostilities in West Asia, with the bulk being moved via Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal disclosed that of this total, 2,060 evacuated individuals came through Armenia and 301 via Azerbaijan, underscoring the scale of India’s coordinated exit‑route planning amid the volatile regional situation.

Jaiswal clarified that the 2,361 evacuees include 1,041 Indian students, alongside several Indian workers and other citizens, as well as three foreign nationals—one from Bangladesh, one from Sri Lanka, and one from Guyana.

The Ministry also noted that roughly 6,000–7,000 Indians are still believed to be present in Iran, with the government closely monitoring their safety and advising them to follow local guidelines and travel advisories.

At an inter‑ministerial press conference, Joint Secretary (Gulf) Ashwin Mahajan said the government continues to track developments in the Gulf and wider West Asia region, with a dedicated emergency control room in the MEA coordinating closely with Indian missions.

The Ministry is issuing regular advisories on airspace conditions, flight availability, travel routes, consular services, and welfare measures aimed at supporting the Indian community abroad.

Ashwin Mahajan added that international flights to and from India remain active from those countries where airspace is open, and the Iranian‑based Indian mission has so far facilitated onward travel for 2,358 Indian nationals from Iran to India via Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In the case of Israel, the airspace has partially reopened with restricted flight operations; the government is working to streamline evacuation routes via Jordan and Egypt to bring Indian citizens home safely.

On a separate query, the MEA spokesperson said India has received requests from several neighbouring and island nations seeking petroleum supplies amid the West Asia crisis, and that New Delhi is already providing energy resources to multiple countries, subject to its own domestic requirements and the availability of resources.

Recent examples include the dispatch of 22,000 metric tonnes of high‑speed diesel to Bangladesh in March and 38,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka last month.

The Ministry also revealed that India and Mauritius are currently finalising a government‑to‑government agreement to supply oil and gas and to bolster Mauritius’s energy security, following discussions during the visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister to the island nation a week ago.

Existing agreements with Nepal and Bhutan, as well as ongoing talks with Mauritius and Seychelles, are being leveraged to ensure uninterrupted energy flows and regional stability in the face of the evolving West Asia scenario.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar