Government Details Major Rescue Operations

India has spent nearly ₹216 crore over the past five years on emergency evacuation missions that brought home more than 32,000 Indian nationals stranded in conflict-hit countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed Parliament.

The data, tabled in the Lok Sabha, highlights the scale of India's overseas rescue efforts since 2021, covering crises in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, Israel, Iran, Haiti, Syria, Iraq and other regions affected by armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.

Operation Ganga Was the Largest Mission

Among all evacuation efforts, Operation Ganga, launched during the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, emerged as India's largest rescue mission in both scale and expenditure.

According to the MEA, the operation brought back 18,282 Indian citizens from war-hit Ukraine at a cost of ₹116.58 crore, accounting for more than half of the government's total evacuation spending during the five-year period.

The operation remains one of India's biggest overseas civilian evacuation exercises.

Multiple Rescue Missions Across Continents

The government also carried out several other evacuation operations as conflicts erupted across different regions.

Under Operation Devi Shakti in 2021, India evacuated 669 people from Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power, spending ₹1.90 crore.

In 2023, Operation Kaveri rescued 4,097 people, including 136 foreign nationals, from conflict-hit Sudan at a cost of ₹45.63 crore.

During the Israel-Hamas conflict, Operation Ajay brought back 1,343 people, including 14 OCI card holders and 20 foreign nationals, with an expenditure of ₹16.87 crore.

The government also conducted evacuation operations from Haiti, Syria, Iraq and the Thailand-Myanmar border, besides organising a humanitarian mission to repatriate the mortal remains of 45 Indian nationals from Kuwait.

Iran Rescue During West Asia Crisis

The MEA said India continued evacuation efforts during the escalating West Asia crisis.

Under Operation Sindhu in 2025, 3,597 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran at a cost of ₹27.68 crore, while another 818 Indians were brought back from Israel under the same operation.

In 2026, the government facilitated the evacuation of 2,557 Indians from Iran through neighbouring Armenia, spending ₹6.05 crore.

Separately, Indian diplomatic missions helped 1,40,605 Indian nationals return safely from countries affected by the 2026 West Asia crisis by coordinating transit visas, local transportation, accommodation, cross-border movements and flight clearances.

The highest number of assisted returns came from Qatar, where around 1,00,000 Indians received assistance, followed by Kuwait, with nearly 30,000 beneficiaries.

Digital Emergency Platform Under Trial

The Ministry of External Affairs said Indian missions worldwide remain connected with citizens through 24x7 emergency helplines, WhatsApp, social media platforms, email services and community networks during crisis situations.

It also informed Parliament that the government is conducting the final trials of a digital emergency response platform, which will allow stranded Indians to register online, share geo-tagged locations in real time and request assistance during emergencies.

According to the ministry, evacuation missions often face significant challenges, including security threats, restricted airspace, disrupted communications and limited ground movement. These operations are coordinated through close cooperation between Indian diplomatic missions, government agencies, airlines, shipping companies and foreign governments to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals.