Nearly 5.98 lakh passengers have returned to India amid the evolving security situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, a senior government official said on Wednesday, even as flight operations gradually stabilise.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing, Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said the overall flight situation is improving, with additional services being operated from the region to various Indian destinations. “Since February 28, around 5,98,000 passengers have returned from the region to India. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations between the UAE and India,” he said.
Mahajan noted that around 90 flights were expected to operate from the UAE to India on Wednesday. Flights are also running from airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman, while Qatar Airways is likely to operate eight to ten services to India as airspace restrictions ease partially in Qatar. However, airspace in Kuwait and Bahrain remains closed. In response, Jazeera Airways and Gulf Air are operating non-scheduled flights from Dammam in Saudi Arabia to India.
With restrictions affecting direct travel, Indian nationals are being routed through alternate countries. Evacuations from Iran are being facilitated via Armenia and Azerbaijan, from Israel through Egypt and Jordan, from Iraq through Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and from Kuwait and Bahrain via Saudi Arabia.
Mahajan said the Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the situation, with a dedicated control room functioning round the clock. Indian missions across the region remain in constant contact with local authorities to assist nationals.
He also confirmed that three Indian nationals sustained minor injuries in an incident in Dubai caused by debris from an interception. They are undergoing treatment at local hospitals, and one has already been discharged. The Indian consulate is in touch with the injured and their families, providing all necessary assistance. Local authorities reported that the incident also left one Bangladeshi and one Sri Lankan national with minor injuries.
The official further informed that the mortal remains of two Indian nationals, one who died on March 11 in an incident involving MT Safe Sea Vishnu off the coast of Iraq, and another who passed away in Kuwait on March 29, were repatriated to India earlier in the day. The government has been in touch with their families and conveyed condolences.
The developments come as the conflict between the US-Israel combine and Iran enters its second month, with continuing repercussions across the region and implications for global energy supplies.
(With inputs from ANI)