Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, India has intensified diplomatic and evacuation efforts to ensure the safety of millions of its citizens stranded across the conflict-hit region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held discussions with eight world leaders over the past 48 hours, focusing on the protection and swift evacuation of Indian nationals.
With nearly nine million Indians residing in various Middle Eastern countries, the situation has triggered large-scale coordination between the government, airlines, and foreign authorities.
PM Modi Holds Talks with Eight Nations
Prime Minister Modi condemned the violence in the region and stressed the urgent need for peace and stability. He also thanked the leaders of several countries for extending support in ensuring the safety of Indian citizens.
Over the past two days, Modi has spoken with leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Israel. On Tuesday, he specifically discussed the safety of Indian expatriates with the leadership of Oman and Kuwait.
The Centre has initiated steps to operate special evacuation flights to bring stranded Indians home safely.
Special Evacuation Flights Intensified
Indian carriers have stepped up rescue operations. SpiceJet has announced special flights to the UAE on March 4 and March 8, all operating from Fujairah Airport. The schedule includes four flights to Delhi, three to Mumbai, and one to Kochi. On March 3, the airline had already operated four special flights to evacuate passengers to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi.
Meanwhile, a Saudi Airlines flight (SV756) from Jeddah landed at Delhi International Airport, bringing back several Indian passengers, including Muslim pilgrims. Jeddah serves as the main gateway to Mecca.
IndiGo also operated four special flights from Jeddah to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi to facilitate evacuations.
58 Flights Scheduled in a Single Day
On March 4 alone, Indian airlines planned to operate a total of 58 flights. This includes 30 flights by IndiGo and 23 flights jointly by Air India and Air India Express. A limited number of flights were also operated by foreign carriers.
Despite the evacuation push, the ongoing conflict has significantly disrupted air travel.
Over 1,600 Flights Cancelled So Far
Due to the escalating war situation, Indian airlines have cancelled 1,221 flights so far, while foreign airlines have cancelled 388 flights. In the past three days alone, 1,117 international flights have been called off.
The large-scale cancellations reflect the severity of the crisis and airspace restrictions across the region.
Government Focused on Safety of Indians
With nearly nine million Indians in the Middle East, the government has placed top priority on their safety. Diplomatic engagement, emergency flight operations, and coordination with host nations continue at full pace.
As tensions persist, authorities remain on high alert to ensure safe evacuation and minimize disruption for Indian citizens caught in the conflict zone.