The Centre on Friday said all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, even as it stepped up coordination to assist nationals in West Asia.
Officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said maritime operations remain normal, with ports across the country functioning without congestion. The government is working with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted shipping.
The Directorate General of Shipping’s control room is operating round the clock and has handled 7,553 calls and over 16,033 emails since activation, including 150 calls and 394 emails in the past 24 hours. Authorities have facilitated the repatriation of more than 2,729 Indian seafarers so far, including 49 in the last 24 hours.
The Ministry of External Affairs said it is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia and remains in coordination with states and Union Territories. A special control room is operational, while Indian missions in the region are running 24×7 helplines, issuing advisories and engaging with community groups and companies to assist nationals. Missions are also coordinating with local authorities to support seafarers and facilitate their return where required.
The government said the overall flight situation is improving, with additional services operating from the region. Since February 28, around 12.38 lakh passengers have travelled from West Asia to India.
In the UAE, limited commercial flights are operating based on safety considerations, with around 110 services expected to India. Flights continue from Saudi Arabia and Oman, while Qatar Airways is operating as airspace remains partially open. Kuwait has reopened its airspace with limited operations expected soon, and non-scheduled flights from Dammam continue.
Bahrain’s airspace is open with Gulf Air operating flights to India, while Iraq is allowing limited services for onward travel. Iran’s airspace remains partially open for cargo and chartered flights, with Indian authorities advising nationals to avoid travel and urging those present to exit via land borders. So far, 2,432 Indians — including 1,096 students and 657 fishermen — have been moved out via Armenia and Azerbaijan. Israel has also partially reopened its airspace, with limited flights resuming.
