Indian Embassy in Bahrain Issues Urgent Advisory Amid Regional Tensions
Important Advisory for Indian Nationals in Bahrain
Manama: On Monday, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain urged its citizens residing in the country to stay alert and exercise caution due to the current regional circumstances.
The Embassy recommended that Indian nationals keep abreast of updates and advisories from both the Embassy and local authorities. They reiterated the availability of helpline numbers for assistance and advised travelers to transit through Saudi Arabia.
In a statement shared on social media, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain noted, “Transit Through Saudi Arabia from Bahrain. Priority is being given to stranded Indian nationals, especially those on tourist or short-term visas. The Embassy of India in Riyadh is securing individual transit visa approvals from the Saudi Government. Consequently, transit visa requests are currently being referred by the Embassy of India in Bahrain to the Embassy of India in Riyadh.”
Additionally, the Embassy provided a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for transit through Saudi Arabia. It specified that travelers must possess a confirmed air ticket for their onward journey to India and present the Note Verbale or formal note issued by the Embassy of India in Riyadh to Saudi immigration authorities at the checkpoint before entering Saudi Arabia.
Advisory
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The advisory from the Embassy indicates that the Saudi transit visa will be valid for a duration of 72-96 hours, during which travelers must depart Saudi Arabia for India. The Indian Embassy in Bahrain has recommended that travelers plan their journey to the Saudi checkpoint preferably during daylight hours. They also provided an email address for Indian nationals wishing to request assistance with transit visa facilitation.
This advisory comes in light of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which escalated following joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting a significant retaliatory response from Iran involving drone and missile attacks targeting US assets and allied forces throughout the region.
In related news, the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) General Command announced on Monday that its air defense systems have successfully intercepted Iranian attacks. According to their statement, BDF Forces have intercepted and destroyed 102 ballistic missiles and 171 unmanned aerial vehicles aimed at Bahrain since the onset of the conflict, as reported by the Bahrain News Agency.
The BDF General Command commended the operational readiness and effectiveness demonstrated by its personnel during this challenging period, assuring that the country's airspace remains secure.
They urged residents to stay indoors and only venture out when absolutely necessary, taking all necessary precautions. The BDF General Command also advised the public to avoid impacted areas and suspicious objects, refrain from filming military operations or debris sites, and to rely solely on official sources for updates and advisories, as reported by the Bahrain News Agency.
The General Command condemned the targeting of civilian sites and private property with ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, labeling it a clear breach of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Charter. They further stated that such indiscriminate attacks pose a direct threat to regional peace and security.