India has evacuated more than 11 lakh passengers from the West Asia region since February 28, as the Ministry of External Affairs coordinates a large-scale air evacuation effort across multiple countries amid the ongoing conflict in the region.
The details were shared by Aseem Mahajan, Joint Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, during an inter-ministerial press briefing in New Delhi on Monday.
"Since February 28, around 11,30,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India," Mahajan said, adding that airlines continue to operate limited commercial flights based on operational and safety considerations.
Around 110 flights were expected to operate from the UAE to India on Monday alone, with flights also running from multiple airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to various Indian destinations.
Qatar Airways was expected to operate 10 to 11 flights to different Indian cities on the day, with Qatar's airspace partially open. Gulf Air of Bahrain has announced plans to begin limited flight operations from Bahrain to India, and is currently operating non-scheduled commercial flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways are similarly operating non-scheduled flights from Dammam to India, given that Kuwait's airspace remains closed.
Also Read: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor defends India’s stand on West Asia conflict
The situation in Iran has required a different approach. With Iranian airspace only partially open for cargo and chartered flights, India's embassy in Tehran has been facilitating the movement of Indian nationals overland through Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel home.
"So far, 2,423 Indian nationals have moved out of Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes 1,091 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen," Mahajan said.
Israeli airspace is open and limited flight operations have resumed to destinations in the region. India is also facilitating the travel of Indian nationals from Israel through Jordan and Egypt to reach India, Mahajan added.
Iraqi airspace is open with limited flight operations available for onward travel to India as well.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, also present at the briefing, informed that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had visited Saudi Arabia, where a meeting described as positive was held on regional issues and the enhancement of bilateral ties.
The MEA underlined that active contact with key stakeholders — including Israel, Palestine, and Iran — was essential to protect India's strategic and economic interests during what it described as an unprecedented period of geopolitical realignment.
A dedicated special control room at the Ministry of External Affairs is operational and working in close coordination with Indian missions across the region, all of which are running round-the-clock helplines to assist Indian nationals.
Mahajan said high priority was being given to the welfare of Indian seafarers in the region, with missions providing consular assistance and coordinating with local authorities to facilitate their return to India where requested.