India evacuates ICCR scholars from Gaza, scholars now at Indian universities
Synopsis
Amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, India quietly pulled off a diplomatic and logistical feat — evacuating ICCR scholarship awardees and getting them safely enrolled in Indian universities, while simultaneously completing its 8th Quick Impact Project in Palestine. The back-to-back moves signal that New Delhi is keeping its Palestine engagement alive on both humanitarian and development tracks.
Key Takeaways
The Representative Office of India to the State of Palestine confirmed on 27 August the successful evacuation of ICCR scholarship awardees from Gaza .
The operation was coordinated with the Embassy of India in Jordan and ICCR ; scholars have safely arrived in India and joined their universities.
MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan visited Palestine last week and inaugurated India’s 8th Quick Impact Project at the Jericho Women’s Charitable Society School in Ramallah .
Ranganathan met Palestinian PM Mohammad Mustafa and Majdi Al-Khaldi , Diplomatic Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas , to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation.
New India–Palestine initiatives in health, education, and skills development are reportedly being launched following the visit.
The Representative Office of India to the State of Palestine on Thursday, 27 August confirmed that it has successfully facilitated the evacuation of a group of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship awardees from Gaza, coordinating closely with the Embassy of India in Jordan and ICCR. The scholars have since arrived safely in India and joined their respective universities.
How the Evacuation Was Carried Out
“This week, the Representative Office of India successfully facilitated the evacuation of a group of ICCR scholarship awardees from Gaza, in close coordination with the Embassy of India in Jordan and ICCR,” the Representative Office stated in a post on X.
The office added: “The scholars have since arrived safely in India and joined their respective universities. We wish them every success in their academic journeys in India.” The operation underscores India’s sustained diplomatic engagement in one of the world’s most volatile conflict zones, where coordinating safe passage has required multi-country logistics.
MEA Secretary’s Visit to Palestine
The evacuation announcement follows a high-level visit to Palestine by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan last week. During her official trip, she inaugurated a Government of India-supported Quick Impact Project (QIP) at the Jericho Women’s Charitable Society School in Ramallah, alongside Dr. Hussein Hamayel, Governor of Jericho and the Jordan Valley.
The project upgraded educational facilities and provided computers and essential equipment to the school. According to the Representative Office, this marks the completion of India’s 8th QIP in Palestine — a series of targeted development interventions that translate diplomatic partnership into on-ground community benefits.
Bilateral Meetings and Diplomatic Engagement
Secretary Ranganathan also visited the Palestine-India Techno Park, welcoming its role as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement in Palestine. She called on Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, holding discussions on further strengthening the longstanding India–Palestine partnership and advancing bilateral cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.
Additionally, Ranganathan met Majdi Al-Khaldi, the Diplomatic Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas. During the meeting, she emphasised India’s continued support for Palestine and discussed new initiatives in health, education, and skills development being launched during the visit. Both sides took stock of the broader India–Palestine partnership, including political engagement and development cooperation.
India’s Broader Commitment to Palestine
India’s facilitation of the ICCR scholar evacuation and the completion of its 8th QIP signal a deliberate effort to maintain active development and people-to-people ties with Palestine even amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The ICCR scholarship programme, which brings students from developing nations to Indian universities, has long served as a cornerstone of India’s soft-power diplomacy across West Asia.
With new initiatives in health, education, and skills reportedly in the pipeline following Secretary Ranganathan’s visit, India’s engagement with Palestine appears set to deepen in the months ahead.
Point of View
A Techno Park visit, and high-level meetings with both the Palestinian PM and the presidential advisor in a single visit. India is not merely expressing solidarity; it is systematically building institutional linkages. The question is whether this layered engagement translates into meaningful influence in any eventual post-conflict reconstruction framework, or remains a well-intentioned but peripheral presence.
NationPress
27 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ICCR scholars were evacuated from Gaza and when?
A group of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship awardees were evacuated from Gaza during the week of 27 August 2025. The Representative Office of India to the State of Palestine confirmed they have since arrived safely in India and joined their respective universities.
How did India facilitate the Gaza evacuation?
The evacuation was carried out by the Representative Office of India to the State of Palestine in close coordination with the Embassy of India in Jordan and ICCR. The multi-agency operation ensured the scholars’ safe passage out of the conflict zone.
What is India’s 8th Quick Impact Project in Palestine?
India’s 8th Quick Impact Project (QIP) in Palestine involved upgrading educational facilities and providing computers and essential equipment to the Jericho Women’s Charitable Society School in Ramallah. It was inaugurated by MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan alongside the Governor of Jericho.
What did MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan discuss during her Palestine visit?
Secretary Ranganathan met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and Majdi Al-Khaldi, Diplomatic Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas. Discussions covered strengthening the India–Palestine partnership and new initiatives in health, education, and skills development.
What is the ICCR scholarship programme?
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship programme offers funded study opportunities at Indian universities to students from developing and partner nations. It is a key instrument of India’s soft-power and people-to-people diplomacy, particularly across West Asia and Africa.
