West Asia war: 4.26 lakh passengers have returned from region to India since Feb 28, says MEA

New Delhi: Nearly 1000 Indian nationals, including students who had been stranded due to West Asia conflict, have successfully crossed out of the region, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.

The ministry informed that a total of 1,043 Indian nationals, including 717 students returned from the region with the assistance of the mission in Tehran, providing a sense of relief, while assuring that the evolving situation in the Gulf and the West Asia region is under close monitoring.

At an inter-ministerial briefing on the West Asia situation, Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf), MEA, also mentioned a steady improvement in the overall flight situation, while noting that around 4.26 lakh passengers have returned from the region to India since February 28.

"During this period, a total of 2,149 flights, including scheduled and non-scheduled flights of Indian as well as foreign carriers, have operated from the region to India," he said.

"We are according the highest priority to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of the large Indian community in the region," Mahajan said.

The MEA's Control Room remains fully functional to support the needs of the Indian nationals and their families.

"We continue to assist travel of Indian nationals in Iran through Armenia and Azerbaijan, to India. A total of 1,043 Indian nationals, including 717 students and 326 other Indian citizens, have crossed out of Iran with our mission's assistance," he said.

"We are also facilitating travel of Indian nationals from Israel via Jordan to India. In view of the flight restrictions from Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, we continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals via Saudi Arabia," he added.

Mahajan said the mortal remains of an Indian national who had passed away on March 18 in an attack in Riyadh, have arrived in India earlier on Wednesday. He also said that efforts are being made through Indian mission in Oman, Iraq and the UAE regarding the missing Indian national and for the early repatriation of the mortal remains of the other deceased Indian national.

On Tuesday evening, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the Iranian envoy in India and talked about the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

"As you know there are many Indian nationals in Iran, and many have returned or starting to return via Armenia or Azerbaijan. The external affairs minister thanked Iran for the support extended in this transit process," he told reporters.

In his opening remarks, Jaiswal referred to the telephone exchange between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the two leaders discussed views on evolving situation in West Asia. He added that PM Modi had called for de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest on Tuesday.

Mahajan, further sharing details, said, Indian missions are proactively assisting and supporting students, seafarers, stranded Indian nationals and short-term visitors for visa facilitation, consular services and logistical assistance where required.

Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations between the UAE and India, he said.

Around 80 flights are expected to operate from various airports in the UAE to India on Wednesday. Flights continue to operate from Oman and Saudi Arabia to India, Mahajan added.

With the Qatar airspace partially open, Qatar Airways is expected to operate around nine non-scheduled commercial flights to India later on Wednesday, the MEA said.

Special non-scheduled commercial flights of Jazeera Airways of Kuwait are operating from the Al Qaisumah Airport in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Air of Bahrain is operating from Dammam Airport of Saudi Arabia to various destinations in India. This is facilitating travel of Indian nationals from Kuwait and Bahrain to India, he said.

(With PTI inputs)