8 Indians dead, one missing in West Asia conflict: MEA
text_fields
New Delhi: Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday reported that eight Indian nationals have lost their lives while one remains missing in “various incidents” across the region.
At an inter-ministerial briefing on the situation, Additional Secretary (Gulf), MEA, Aseem R Mahajan, said that an Indian national was killed in an attack in Kuwait on Sunday, though he did not provide further details. “We express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. Our Mission in Kuwait is coordinating closely with local authorities to provide support and ensure the early return of his mortal remains to India,” Mahajan added.
On March 20, Mahajan had informed that six Indians had died and one remained missing in separate incidents. On Monday, he updated that the toll has now risen to eight, with one still unaccounted for. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia recently confirmed that an Indian national was killed in Riyadh in connection with the events of March 18.
Since February 28, around 5.5 lakh Indian passengers have returned from the region, according to the MEA. The ministry said it continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf and West Asia. “We continue to call for restraint and de-escalation, while emphasising dialogue and diplomacy as the means to an early resolution of the conflict,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on March 28, discussing the ongoing conflict and agreeing on the need to ensure freedom of navigation. During the call, the Prime Minister reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure.
Mahajan stressed that the safety, security, and welfare of the large Indian community in the region remain the government’s top priority. “Our dedicated special Control Room remains operational. Missions and posts across the region are functioning round the clock, operating 24x7 helplines, issuing regular advisories, and staying actively engaged with Indian community associations, organisations, and companies,” he said.
Academic concerns arising from the conflict are also being addressed. The CBSE has notified the assessment scheme for the declaration of Class X and Class XII results in the region following exam cancellations. The MEA said it is in regular contact with parents and students regarding CBSE, ICSE, Kerala boards, JEE, and NEET exams.
Special attention is being given to the welfare of Indian seafarers, with missions maintaining continuous contact with crew members on vessels across the region. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights between India and the UAE, with around 85 flights expected from the UAE to India on Monday. Flights are also operating from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 10 flights to India on March 30, despite the partial closure of Qatar airspace. Kuwait and Bahrain airspace remain closed, but Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and Gulf Air of Bahrain are operating non-scheduled flights from Saudi Arabia to India.
“Due to flight restrictions and airspace closures, we continue to facilitate the travel of Indian nationals from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan, from Israel via Egypt and Jordan, from Iraq via Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and from Kuwait and Bahrain through Saudi Arabia,” Mahajan said.
With PTI inputs