2 lakh+ Indians have returned home since Iran conflict

Flights are operating from Qatar, as its airspace has partially reopened, with three flights expected today and tomorrow to different destinations in India, according to Aseem Mahajan, Joint Secretary (Gulf) at the Ministry of External Affairs.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that 550 Indian nationals have crossed into Armenia through the land border. At the same time, 90 Indians have travelled into Azerbaijan from Iran via the land border.

Addressing an Inter-Ministerial Briefing on recent developments in West Asia, the MEA official said that, however, Kuwait's airspace remains closed, and special non-scheduled flights are expected to operate soon. For travellers in Bahrain and Iraq, transit through Saudi Arabia is being facilitated, he said.

Further, the MEA official said that two Indian nationals were killed in Sohar, Oman.

"On March 13th, in an attack in Sohar city in Oman, unfortunately, two Indian nationals had lost their lives. The embassy of India in Muscat is in constant touch with the families of the deceased Indian nationals and is coordinating with the concerned Omani authorities. Their mortal remains are expected to be repatriated to India soon. None of the Indian nationals is seriously injured..." the MEA Joint Secretary (Gulf) Mahajan said.

The official spokesperson for MEA, addressing the interministerial briefing today said, "We also have had approximately 90 of our nationals from Iran cross over into Azerbaijan through the land border. These movements were facilitated by our embassy in Tehran. They helped them with visas, as well as with immigration formalities that were required. In this group of 550 people that I mentioned, who have crossed from Iran into Armenia, we also have 284 people who had gone to Iran on pilgrimage. These people are there right now in both these countries. Some of them have already returned, and others would be returning in the next few days or so. Our embassy in Tehran, in spite of all the difficulties, continues to be fully functional. For the last few days, they have also been able to relocate students who were outside Tehran to cities which are safer for them."

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said that an Indian-flagged vessel from the UAE is en route to India.

"Indian-flag vessel 'Jag Laadki', which sailed from the UAE on 14th of March, is carrying about 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is safely en route to India. The vessel and all Indian seafarers on board are safe. They'll be reaching tomorrow at Mundra Port," he said.

Sinha added, "Shivalik LPG carrier, which sailed from the Persian Gulf, crossed the Strait of Hormuz and headed towards India, will be reaching today around 5 pm..." -- ANI