Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 27: India is closely tracking the evolving situation in West Asia while strengthening diplomatic engagement with Gulf countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday during a detailed briefing in New Delhi.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India, on the instructions of the Prime Minister, has been actively expanding high-level contacts with key Gulf partners to reinforce strategic cooperation and address regional concerns.
He highlighted that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval recently visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The discussions focused on deepening the India–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as well as reviewing the broader regional situation.
Jaiswal noted that this visit followed another high-level engagement earlier in the month when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar travelled to the UAE on April 11–12. During that visit, he held talks with his counterpart and called on the UAE President, expressing appreciation for support extended to the Indian community during regional tensions.
According to the MEA, these back-to-back visits reflect India’s sustained diplomatic push to maintain close coordination with Gulf nations amid ongoing instability in West Asia.
Additional Secretary (Gulf) Aseem R. Mahajan also briefed on measures being taken to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian nationals in the region. He said the ministry is maintaining constant contact with state governments and Union Territories while operating a dedicated control room to handle queries from citizens and their families.
He added that Indian embassies and consulates across the region are running round-the-clock helplines and issuing regular advisories on travel conditions, local regulations, and consular assistance. Missions are also in continuous engagement with Indian community groups, professionals, and businesses abroad.
Mahajan emphasized that welfare of Indian seafarers remains a priority, with missions providing coordinated assistance with local authorities and facilitating repatriation requests where necessary.
On the travel situation, he said flight connectivity between India and West Asia is gradually improving, with around 1,319,000 passengers having travelled to India from the region since February 28. Airlines are operating limited but expanding services depending on safety and operational conditions.
He noted that approximately 105 flights are currently scheduled between the UAE and India daily, while services from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Iran, and Israel are operating in varying capacities based on airspace availability.
Mahajan also confirmed that Indian authorities have advised citizens to avoid travel to Iran amid partial airspace restrictions and have facilitated the evacuation of over 2,400 Indians through land routes with embassy support.
The briefing comes as regional tensions continue following intermittent ceasefire and stalled negotiations between Iran and the United States, which recently saw talks collapse after several rounds of discussions earlier this month.