Video captures Afghanistan evacuees cheering on flight to India

This is the moment a planeload of evacuees from Afghanistan expressed their jubilation at escaping the Taliban on Tuesday — cheering and shouting Sikh slogans as they were flown to India.

The 78 ecstatic passengers — including 25 Indian nationals — were captured on video aboard Air India Flt. 1956, which arrived in New Delhi from Dushanbe, Tajikistan, according to WION.

“Op Devi Shakti continues. 78 evacuees from Kabul arrive via Dushanbe. Salute IAF, Air India and MEA teams for their untiring efforts,” Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in a tweet.

External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi tweeted earlier: “Bringing Indians home from Afghanistan! AI 1956 carrying 87 Indians departs from Tajikistan for New Delhi. Two Nepalese nationals also evacuated.

“Assisted and supported by our Embassy @IndEmbDushanbe. More evacuation flights to follow,” he added, posting footage of the buoyant passengers.

“Jubilant evacuees on their journey home!” Bagchi wrote.

India is expected to evacuate more people, including its own citizens and dozens of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, from Kabul, the Hindustan Times reported Tuesday, a day after Indian authorities separately evacuated 75 Sikhs amid the deteriorating situation in the war-torn country.