Operation Sindhu: Elderly couple thank PM Modi upon return to India amid tensions in West Asia

Jun 24, 2025

NEW DELHI: As India continues to evacuate its nationals from Israel amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, an elderly couple who were brought to India on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The elderly couple is among the 161 passengers evacuated from Israel on Tuesday. The evacuation is part of India's ongoing 'Operation Sindhu' to ensure the safe return of Indian citizens.

Triambak Kole said that he and his wife had been in Israel for the last one and a half months to meet his son's newborn.

"It had been 1.5 months since I was in Israel. The situation escalated there suddenly. We could hear explosions at any time of the day. We were scared. We have come back now. We are very thankful to PM Modi. We had gone there to meet the newborn. They will remain there (in Israel). They won't come back. We had come back though," Kole said outside Delhi airport after reaching here.

His wife said, "We saw bombs (missiles) in the sky. Six of them went about our heads. We were in hiding when we saw this. We are very thankful to PM Modi (for the evacuation)."