Over 598,000 Passengers Return to India Amid Security Concerns in West Asia

Significant Return of Indian Nationals

In light of the deteriorating security situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, approximately 598,000 passengers have returned to India. This information was shared by a senior government official on Wednesday. The official also reported that three Indian nationals sustained minor injuries due to an aircraft debris incident in Dubai, and the embassy is in continuous contact with them to provide necessary assistance. Authorities in Dubai confirmed that the debris fell on homes in southern Dubai, injuring two Indian citizens, one Bangladeshi, and one Sri Lankan.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on the latest developments in West Asia, Aseem R. Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) of the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that the overall flight situation is improving with the operation of additional flights to various destinations in India from the region.

Flight Operations and Safety Measures

Since February 28, nearly 598,000 passengers have returned from this region. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights between the UAE and India based on operational and safety concerns. It is anticipated that around 90 flights will operate from the UAE to India today. Flights are also being conducted from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to different destinations in India. Due to partial opening of Qatar's airspace, Qatar Airways is expected to operate about 8 to 10 flights to India today. However, the airspace of Kuwait and Bahrain remains closed.

Jazeera Airways from Kuwait and Gulf Air from Bahrain are conducting irregular commercial flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to various destinations in India.

Alternative Travel Routes for Indian Citizens

The official further mentioned that due to flight restrictions and closed airspace, travel for Indian citizens is being facilitated through alternative routes. These include traveling from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan, from Israel to Egypt and Jordan, from Iraq to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and from Kuwait and Bahrain to Saudi Arabia before reaching India.