New Delhi, March 11 Amid the escalating military conflict in West Asia, the Indian government said on Wednesday that the welfare of the approximately one crore Indian diaspora in the Gulf region is its top priority.
Two Indians were killed, and one went missing when the merchant vessel they were on board came under attack during the West Asia crisis, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
"The welfare of the diaspora is of utmost priority, high priority, and importance to us," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to several leaders in the region, including those from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Israel, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also been in regular contact with his counterparts in these countries, as well as Iran.
"We remain committed to the welfare of our citizens, our nationals who reside in the GCC and West Asian countries. All our missions in the region are in regular contact with our community members. They have issued advisories and are regularly updating them," he said.
He said that two Indians have died and one remains missing in incidents involving merchant ships.
"A few (other) Indians who have suffered, who have been injured in the GCC region, are being taken care of. They are being treated, and our embassy and our consulate are in close contact with them to ensure their well-being," he said, adding that one Indian was injured in Israel and another in Dubai.
He said that the Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the situation involving Indian nationals in the region, and that Indian missions are working to ensure the safety and welfare of the diaspora.
India has approximately one crore citizens living in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and their safety remains a priority, he said.
Indian missions have issued regular advisories to nationals in the region, while ambassadors and consuls general are engaging with community members to ensure their safety. Missions have also helped stranded Indians, including tourists and transit passengers, return home through commercial flights from cities like Muscat, Riyadh, and Jeddah.
The ministry has set up a control room to assist Indian nationals.
Approximately 9,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran, with the Indian mission maintaining close contact with the community. Indian students and pilgrims have been relocated to safer cities outside Tehran, and assistance is being provided for land border crossings into Armenia and Azerbaijan so that they can take commercial flights back to India.
Citizens have been advised to follow the official social media accounts of the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian missions for updates, he added.
