New Delhi, May 11 — As tensions rise across West Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has activated a dedicated 24/7 special control room to oversee the safety and repatriation of Indian nationals in the Gulf and surrounding region. An inter-ministerial briefing on Monday said coordinated efforts are underway to manage returns and protect maritime trade routes amid a volatile security environment.
Additional Secretary Aseem R. Mahajan said the MEA is working round-the-clock and remains in close contact with state governments and Union Territories to share information with concerned families. He outlined the current status of flight operations across the region: UAE airspace is open with Indian and UAE carriers operating; flights are also running from airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Qatar airspace is partially open, with Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Qatar Airways operating some services. Kuwait and Bahrain airspaces are open; Iraq is open with limited flights; Iran’s airspace is partially open and Indian nationals have been advised not to travel there; Israel’s airspace is open with limited operations.
Mahajan noted that the Indian embassy in Tehran has facilitated the movement of 2,549 Indian nationals out of Iran via land border routes and has urged those remaining to leave with embassy support.
On the maritime front, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reported a period of relative calm for Indian vessels. Director Opesh Kumar Sharma said no incidents involving Indian-flag merchant ships or Indian seafarers on foreign-flag vessels have been reported in the past three days. He also said port operations across India remain normal and no congestion has been reported.
The DG Shipping control room has handled around 8,889 calls and more than 19,758 emails since activation. In the past 24 hours it received 21 calls and 112 emails; over the last 72 hours it recorded 152 calls and 444 emails. Coordinating with the MEA, the ministry has assisted the safe repatriation of more than 3,096 seafarers so far, including 27 in the last 24 hours and 77 in the last 72 hours, from various Gulf locations.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is closely tracking developments in West Asia and issuing advisories and statements as the situation evolves. Mahajan added that embassies and consulates are operating round-the-clock helplines to provide timely assistance, explain local rules and travel options, and coordinate welfare measures. Missions are engaging with resident Indian communities, associations, professional groups and companies to address concerns, with seafarer welfare a particular priority.
The briefing came as Iran signalled a possible de-escalation but placed conditions on Washington, demanding an end to what Tehran calls a one-sided approach, lifting economic restrictions, halting alleged maritime harassment and releasing frozen assets.
This report is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received.
