my first guess would've been that they looked at the (self-admittedly inaccurate) map in Sky Magazine or something... but even it doesn't show that flight going anywhere near those countries either.

Don't really see how it could be an ETOPS or wind issue either, as DL's 772LRs have more than sufficient ETOPS to op the semi-polar route to India, and the winds are more favorable there than a mid-Atlantic crossing anyways. Heck, they've even done the ATL-originating eastbound with their 772ERs a few times.