Amidst the increasing tension and war situation in West Asia, 345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran reached Chennai safely on Saturday evening. The central government had launched a major operation to bring these people back to India via Armenia. When these fishermen landed at Chennai Airport on Saturday evening, 4 April 2026, the atmosphere there was very emotional. Most of these fishermen are residents of Tamil Nadu who were stranded there for a long time.
What are the special features of this rescue operation?
The Government of India has completed this entire operation in a very planned manner. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has thanked the Foreign Minister of Armenia and the government there for this help because without their help this evacuation would not have been possible. Union Minister Piyush Goyal himself had come to welcome these people at Chennai Airport.
A total of 345 fishermen returned safely to India on Saturday evening. Among those who returned, 327 fishermen are residents of Tamil Nadu state. According to BJP state president, about Rs 93,000 has been spent on the return of each person. The Ministry of External Affairs is constantly monitoring the situation in West Asia.
How many Indians have been evacuated safely so far?
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government has so far evacuated more than 1,200 Indian citizens from Iran. These people are being brought back through different routes so that they can be kept away from the war zone. The government has made it clear that the safety and welfare of the Indian community living abroad is its biggest priority.
Name of transit country Number of Indians evacuated Armenia 996 Azerbaijan 204 Total number more than 1,200
Due to the ongoing tension in Iran and surrounding areas, there was an atmosphere of anxiety among the Indians and their families living there. This step of the government has brought great relief to those migrants who had gone there for work. Considering the situation in the coming days, preparations can be made to bring back more Indians.
