India Evacuates Over 1 Million Citizens from Volatile West Asia

During an Inter-Ministerial briefing held today, Joint Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan outlined the extensive measures being taken to ensure the safety of citizens amidst regional volatility.

"The dedicated mission control rooms set up to coordinate evacuation and aviation assistance operations are actively working in close coordination with state and Union Territory control rooms, maintaining continuous communication with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure timely support, safety, and dissemination of updated advisories," said Mahajan.

The government confirmed that a total of 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been facilitated through a combination of coordinated evacuations and regulated commercial travel.

These operations have relied on a "round-the-clock" mission control infrastructure designed to bridge communication between Indian missions, state governments, and international airlines.

Mahajan stated that the special control rooms remain "operational round the clock and are regularly engaging with Indian missions, airlines, and relevant authorities to facilitate seamless communication and coordination on priority."

The focus of the ongoing efforts continues to be on ensuring the safety of Indian nationals abroad, while also assisting in regulated flight operations in regions where airspace restrictions are gradually easing.

According to the update, since February, a total of around 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been rescued and assisted through "coordinated evacuation and travel facilitation efforts." The operations have involved both scheduled and non-scheduled commercial flights, with airlines continuing to operate under changing airspace conditions across West Asia.

"Airspace in the United Arab Emirates remains open, with multiple airlines operating flights between the UAE and India through various airports. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, including Dammam, flight operations are being maintained, with plans underway to initiate limited additional services depending on operational feasibility," Mahajan stated.

As airspace restrictions begin to gradually ease in certain sectors, the government provided a status report on flight connectivity.

"In Qatar, airspace remains partially open, and Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 10 flights. Airlines such as Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and Kuwait Airways are also continuing non-scheduled flight operations to support passenger movement between the region and India.

In Bahrain, airspace remains open, and preparations are underway to expand flight connectivity further. Iraq's airspace is also reported to be open, allowing continued movement of passengers and coordination of evacuation-related operations."

Significant progress was reported in Iran, where Indian missions have successfully navigated complex ground conditions to assist 2,358 nationals. This group includes particularly vulnerable citizens

"As part of coordinated arrangements, 2,358 Indian nationals have been assisted in movement from Iran towards Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes 1,041 students and 657 Indian fishermen, who were facilitated through organised evacuation channels."

In the case of Israel, airspace remains partially open, with onward movement being facilitated through Jordan before connecting flights to India. Authorities noted that despite regional volatility, continuous diplomatic and logistical coordination is helping maintain evacuation and travel support channels.

Despite the stabilising flight operations in some Gulf countries, Mahajan reiterated that the mission control infrastructure remains fully engaged. The government continues to maintain real-time coordination with partner governments to navigate "changing airspace conditions" and ensure that Indian citizens are not left stranded as the regional situation evolves.

- ANI