New Delhi, April 23 (ANI) — The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says more than 1.21 million Indians have returned from West Asia and the Gulf since late February as the security situation there evolves and evacuation and commercial services continue to operate. Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) at the MEA, told an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi that the overall air connectivity is improving with additional services to India. He said about 1,212,000 passengers have traveled from the region to India since February 28.
Flight operations remain mixed depending on safety and operational considerations. Limited commercial flights are running between the UAE and India; around 110 flights from the UAE to India were expected on Thursday. Regular services are also operating from airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Qatar’s airspace is partially open and Qatar Airways is flying to several Indian cities.
Kuwait’s airspace is closed, but Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways are operating non-scheduled commercial services from Dammam in Saudi Arabia to India. Gulf Air is flying from Bahrain. Iraq’s airspace is open with restricted services that can be used for onward travel to India. Iran’s airspace is partially open for cargo and charter flights; the Indian embassy in Tehran has been arranging travel routes via Armenia and Azerbaijan. To date, 2,428 Indians have moved out of Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan, including 1,096 students and 657 fishermen. Israel’s airspace is also open with limited operations available for onward travel.
The MEA emphasized that welfare of Indian seafarers remains a top priority. Missions in the region are providing consular assistance, coordinating with local authorities, and facilitating requests to return to India where possible.
A dedicated MEA special control room is operating round-the-clock to respond to queries from nationals and families. Indian missions and consulates across the region maintain 24/7 helplines and are in close contact with host governments. The ministry is coordinating with state governments and union territories to share advisories and align support. Advisories cover local guidelines, flight and travel updates, consular services and welfare measures. Missions are actively engaging with Indian resident communities, associations, professional groups and companies to address concerns.
Separately, amid a fragile ceasefire, the Trump administration is reportedly pressing for a more consistent diplomatic response from Tehran. White House officials say the President seeks a unified stance from Iranian leadership on U.S. overtures to de-escalate the crisis. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. has not set a fixed deadline for extending the truce but that any permanent agreement would demand Iran relinquish its entire stockpile of enriched uranium. The U.S. has indicated a naval blockade will remain until Tehran presents a formal proposal and talks yield a definitive outcome. Iran has condemned these measures; Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the naval restrictions an “act of war” and a breach of the ceasefire, warning that Tehran is prepared to resist coercive actions. (ANI)
