Indian embassies and consulates in the Gulf and West Asia region are operating round-the-clock helplines to assist Indian nationals, as reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) at the MEA, emphasized the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of the Indian community in the region.
Mahajan highlighted that Indian diplomatic missions are actively supporting Indian citizens and maintaining close coordination with local authorities. Flight operations between the region and India are improving, with additional flights operating, particularly from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the airspace is open.
The MEA official informed that both Indian and UAE carriers are conducting flights from the UAE to various destinations in India. Flights are also available from airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to different parts of India. While Qatar airspace is partially open, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq have open airspaces with limited flight operations, facilitating travel to India.
Indian nationals have been advised against traveling to Iran, with those already there urged to depart with embassy assistance. The Indian Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the safe return of 2,557 Indian nationals from Iran through land border routes. Additionally, Israel’s airspace remains open with limited flight activities in the region.
Gulf countries have experienced multiple missile and drone attacks since the US-Israel-Iran conflict began in February. In a recent incident in the UAE, three Indian nationals were injured, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to denounce the attack on civilians and infrastructure as unacceptable.
