The Ministry of External Affairs late Saturday shared that more than 52,000 Indians have been safely brought back from the Gulf region to India between Macth 1 and 7.
Posting an update over X, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that of these, 32,107 passengers travelled on Indian carriers.
He said that the Indian government has been continuously monitoring developments in West Asia and the Gulf region, with emphasis on the welfare of Indian nationals who are stranded there in transit or on short‑term visits.
“The safety and welfare of Indian nationals abroad is of utmost priority to the government, which remains engaged with the Governments across the region to work towards facilitating all those in need of assistance,” the MEA wrote.
The MEA advised Indian nationals to follow the guidelines of local authorities and the advisories issued by the Indian Embassy or Consulate in their respective locations.
Jaiswal also informed about the 24×7 helpline set up by Indian embassies or consulates in each of the countries in the region. Moreover, a Special Control Room has also been set up to monitor and respond to queries of those affected and their families, Jaiswal wrote in the update.
Update on Situation in West Asia and the Gulf Region
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— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia)
He said that ever since the airspaces in these regions have partially reopened this week, Indian and foreign airlines have continued to operate commercial flights, including non-scheduled flights, to facilitate the return of passengers from the Gulf.
The MEA Spokesperson also advised Indian nationals in countries where commercial flight operations are unavailable as of now, to contact the concerned Embassy or Consulate directly for information and guidance on the nearest available flight options.
Early this week, India urged all parties involved in the conflict to , laying emphasis on the safety of civilians, while accepting that some , while others were missing.
Referring to the intensification and spread of the conflict to other nations in the past few days, the government highlighted that almost 1 crore Indian citizens live and work in the Gulf region.
On March 2, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had expressed concern over the safety and security of the Indian expatriate community in the Gulf nations. The CCS then directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments.
Following the direction, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Centre was fully prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region and was in touch with Indian missions abroad to ensure their safety.
