Gandhinagar/Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Saturday described the return of fishermen stranded in Iran as “a moment of relief, gratitude and pride”, as a fresh batch of evacuees reached India following an ongoing government-led evacuation from the conflict-hit region.​

Taking to X, Sanghavi said: “From uncertain waters to safe shores, hundreds of Indian fishermen stranded along the Iranian coast are finally on their way home. Now safely boarded to Ahmedabad, their journey reflects resilience and the unwavering commitment of India to its people, wherever they may be.”​

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, adding, “This is India that cares. This is India that delivers.”​

Goyal said 74 fishermen from Gujarat were among those rescued from Iran and had been provided onward transport after their return.​

“They were very anxious to go home. We have arranged two buses,” he said.​

The latest return comes amid a continuing evacuation exercise by Indian authorities, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announcing today that another 312 Indian fishermen had been safely evacuated from Iran to India through Armenia, with assistance from the Armenian government.​

The evacuations are part of a wider effort undertaken over recent days as the conflict in West Asia disrupted maritime activity and left Indian nationals, including fishermen working along the Iranian coast, stranded.​

Earlier this month, 345 fishermen were brought back to India via Armenia, while the government said it had facilitated the return of at least 1,777 Indian nationals, including students and fishermen, through coordinated operations involving Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan.​

Officials said many of those evacuated had endured difficult conditions, including prolonged uncertainty and disruption to work, before being moved out via transit routes that often involved long journeys to Armenia, followed by flights back to India.​

The ongoing operation reflects sustained diplomatic coordination by Indian authorities to secure the release and safe passage of citizens caught in the West Asia conflict, with groups of evacuees continuing to return to different parts of the country in batches.​

–IANS

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