Twenty-two Indians, including 14 seafarers, have been killed in the ongoing West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday, expressing deep concern over the situation in the region.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi continued to engage with the Indian community across the Gulf region over their safety and well-being.
“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in West Asia. We have lost 22 Indian nationals in the conflict, including 14 seafarers,” Jaiswal said at his regular media briefing.
“We remain in close touch with our community in the Gulf region for their safety and wellbeing. Three Indians have lost their lives in Saudi Arabia,” he added.
The conflict began in February following attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. India has consistently called for a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.
Tensions in the region have escalated following a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. India has expressed serious concern over strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure and economic assets, warning that they undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
The Iran-backed Houthi group attacked Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, a key route for transporting crude oil across the kingdom.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted by the conflict involving Iran, making the East-West pipeline a crucial alternative route for Saudi oil exports.
The Houthi attacks have also raised concerns about the safety of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Located between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, it connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
(With inputs from PTI)