Centre fully prepared to bring back Indians stranded in Gulf region: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi: With the large number of Indians stuck in West Asia countries due restriction on airspace following the Iran conflict, the Centre on Monday said it is in touch with Indian missions in the Gulf region to ensure safe return of stranded Indian nationals.

Several state governments also set up helplines to assist the stuck people and bring them back to India.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met last evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments.

Separately, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Centre is fully prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region and is in touch with Indian missions abroad to ensure their safety.

In a statement, Joshi said discussions have been held with senior officials of the concerned embassies to facilitate the safe return of those affected by the war situation.

"Whenever Kannadigas and other Indians face distress anywhere in the world, the Central Government has ensured their safe return. Earlier, we brought back those stranded in Ukraine. Wherever Indians are, their safety remains our first priority," he said.

Reassuring anxious families, the minister said there was no need to panic and that the government is committed to bringing back all Indians safely.

In Andhra Pradesh, NRI Empowerment and Relations Minister K Srinivas said the government has alerted Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) coordinators in the Gulf region to help Telugu people in distress, Srinivas said efforts are on to provide temporary accommodation, security and help in the homes of local Telugu people.

The APNRTS has advised Telugu expats to travel to Muscat in Oman for repatriation flights to Kochi and return to India.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government on Monday set up a control room at the Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi to assist residents of the state living in crisis-hit West Asia and their family members back home.

Senior officials at Telangana Bhavan are in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned Indian embassies to assess the situation.

In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a round-the-clock helpline to assist Punjabis stranded in affected countries following the joint Israel-US attack on Iran, assuring them all possible help.