The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a special control room to monitor the rapidly evolving situation in West Asia and the Gulf region amid escalating tensions triggered by the Israel-Iran war.
In a statement, the MEA said the control room will function from 9 am to 9 pm and can be contacted for assistance and information.
Control Room Helpline Numbers:
The ministry also released emergency contact numbers for Indian embassies across the region:
Tensions in West Asia have intensified after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran last week, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran targeted Israel as well as US bases and other establishments in several West Asian countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain.
As the conflict spread across the region, India underscored the stakes involved, particularly for the nearly one crore Indian nationals living and working in Gulf countries.
In its second statement since the outbreak of hostilities, the MEA stressed that the safety and security of Indians in West Asia remains its “utmost priority.”
“In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt,” the ministry said.
Calling for restraint, New Delhi strongly advocated “dialogue and diplomacy” to secure an early end to the conflict. It noted that as a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the region’s security and stability, the ongoing developments “evoke great anxiety.”
