New Delhi, March 31 – Around 572,000 passengers have returned to India from the West Asia region. With the airspace in Qatar partially open, the government expects approximately 8–10 non-scheduled commercial flights to operate into the country on Tuesday.
In the UAE, around 85 flights are expected to operate throughout the day. Limited non-scheduled flights continue based on operational and safety considerations. Flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia to India are continuing, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The airspaces of Kuwait and Bahrain remain closed. Special non-scheduled commercial flights are operating from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to various destinations in India.
"In light of the airspace closure in Iran, Indian nationals are being facilitated to travel through Armenia and Azerbaijan. Similarly, in light of airspace restrictions in Israel, Indian nationals are being facilitated to travel via Egypt and Jordan," the ministry stated.
"Furthermore, in light of the airspace closure in Iraq, Indian nationals are being facilitated to travel via Jordan and Saudi Arabia," it added.
Regular contact is being maintained with the Indian community in the region, with necessary assistance being extended and advisories issued for their safety and well-being.
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.
According to the government, 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region, and the Director General of Shipping (DG Shipping), in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies, and Indian Missions, is actively monitoring the situation.
DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 959 Indian seafarers so far, including 9 in the last 24 hours. Port operations across India remain normal with no congestion, with the state maritime boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry having confirmed smooth functioning.