Indira Gandhi International Airport was a scene of anxious hugs and audible relief on 17 January as chartered and commercial flights brought home dozens of Indian nationals fleeing spiralling protests in Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had first urged the roughly 9,000 Indians in Iran—students, pilgrims and oil-field technicians—to leave on 5 January, upgrading the notice to an immediate-exit advisory on 16 January after street violence intensified and internet shutdowns spread.
Returnees described roadblocks, currency chaos and what one passenger called a “war-like situation”. With mobile data cut, many had gone days without contact with family. The Indian embassy in Tehran organised airport drop-offs and passed passenger manifests to airlines to streamline boarding. Air India and Mahan Air laid on additional capacity, while several corporate employers activated evacuation plans for assignees and dependants.
![MEA Advisory Triggers Airlift of Indians as Unrest Grips Iran]()
The episode underscores how quickly geopolitical risk can derail overseas postings. Companies with exposure in Iran are reviewing crisis clauses in employment contracts, checking insurance cover for security evacuations and mapping alternate duty stations in the Gulf. Travel-risk consultants note that the MEA rarely issues such blunt guidance, and when it does, corporate compliance is expected; ignoring it can void insurance and, in extreme cases, trigger liability under India’s Occupational Safety codes.
In scenarios where exit papers, re-entry permits and onward visas can suddenly become critical, many travellers turn to VisaHQ for rapid, door-to-door processing and real-time status alerts. The platform’s India section (https://www.visahq.com/india/) aggregates the latest embassy rules and can arrange courier pick-ups nationwide, giving companies and families a single dashboard to track applications even when local internet service is patchy.
Officials cautioned that further flights may be required if the security environment deteriorates. All Indian nationals have been told to avoid travel to Iran until further notice, and mobility managers are updating databases to flag personnel with Iranian visas for alternative routing.
Returnees described roadblocks, currency chaos and what one passenger called a “war-like situation”. With mobile data cut, many had gone days without contact with family. The Indian embassy in Tehran organised airport drop-offs and passed passenger manifests to airlines to streamline boarding. Air India and Mahan Air laid on additional capacity, while several corporate employers activated evacuation plans for assignees and dependants.
The episode underscores how quickly geopolitical risk can derail overseas postings. Companies with exposure in Iran are reviewing crisis clauses in employment contracts, checking insurance cover for security evacuations and mapping alternate duty stations in the Gulf. Travel-risk consultants note that the MEA rarely issues such blunt guidance, and when it does, corporate compliance is expected; ignoring it can void insurance and, in extreme cases, trigger liability under India’s Occupational Safety codes.
In scenarios where exit papers, re-entry permits and onward visas can suddenly become critical, many travellers turn to VisaHQ for rapid, door-to-door processing and real-time status alerts. The platform’s India section (https://www.visahq.com/india/) aggregates the latest embassy rules and can arrange courier pick-ups nationwide, giving companies and families a single dashboard to track applications even when local internet service is patchy.
Officials cautioned that further flights may be required if the security environment deteriorates. All Indian nationals have been told to avoid travel to Iran until further notice, and mobility managers are updating databases to flag personnel with Iranian visas for alternative routing.
