SRINAGAR: The Government Of India (GOI) on Thursday revealed that out of 3,597 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran during Operation Sindhu, 1,521 were from Jammu and Kashmir, and 1,198 were residents of Uttar Pradesh.
The figures were presented by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply to a query in the Rajya Sabha.
Responding to a separate question, Singh stated that 13 Indian nationals remain enlisted with the Russian armed forces, of whom 12 are currently reported missing. The Russian authorities, he said, have been urged to provide updates on these individuals, as well as ensure their safety and facilitate their return.
According to Singh, 127 Indians had been serving in the Russian military. Of these, 98 have had their service terminated due to consistent diplomatic engagement between India and Russia, including dialogue at top levels.
Regarding the presence of Indians in Iran and Israel, Singh mentioned that, to date, there have been no reported Indian casualties resulting from the recent hostilities between the two nations. He added that approximately 40,100 Indians are currently residing in Israel, spanning categories such as students, caregivers, construction and agricultural workers, and professionals.
In Iran, prior to the conflict, around 10,000 Indians were living there, comprising workers, students, pilgrims, seafarers, and other travelers.
Operation Sindhu facilitated the evacuation of a total of 4,415 Indians from both conflict zones—3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel. Singh also released a breakdown of evacuees by state.
From the 3,597 Indians airlifted out of Iran 1,521 were from Jammu and Kashmir; 1,198 from Uttar Pradesh; 223 from Ladakh;135 from Karnataka; 89 from Maharashtra and 50 from Bihar. Other states also had smaller representations.
Of those evacuated from Israel, 151 were from West Bengal and 93 from Maharashtra. Additional evacuees hailed from several other regions.
Addressing another inquiry concerning the exploitation of Indian workers in the Gulf region, especially those in domestic and construction sectors, Singh shared distressing data: 7,001 Indian deaths were recorded in Gulf countries in 2024, and 3,723 more till June 2025.
He noted that Indian embassies and consulates are extending assistance using the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), which provides means-tested financial and legal aid. This includes support for temporary accommodation, return travel, and legal counsel for distressed workers.
Singh also shared statistics on Indian nationals renouncing citizenship over recent years:
1,44,017 in 2019
85,256 in 2020
1,63,370 in 2021
2,25,620 in 2022
2,16,219 in 2023
2,06,378 in 2024
These figures reflect a steady trend of Indians opting to surrender their citizen for foreign nationalities.
