New Delhi: The government, on Monday, informed that India has intensified its diplomatic outreach to Gulf countries and is pushing efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian nationals in the region.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said: “On the directions of the Prime Minister, we are strengthening our outreach to Gulf countries. Accordingly, the External Affairs Minister visited the UAE from April 11 to 12. On Sunday, the Union minister called on the president of the UAE and conveyed warm greetings from the Prime Minister and thanked him for ensuring the well- being of our community in the country. He also thanked him for his guidance on further strengthening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates, meeting with its leaders and members of the Indian diaspora. On the first day of his visit, the EAM met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who discussed the changing dynamics in the region, while India appreciated the UAE’s support for Indians.
As part of a broader diplomatic push, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, also, recently visited Qatar, while Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has been in touch with counterparts across the Gulf region.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, all Indian missions and posts in West Asia continue to maintain high alert and coordinate closely with the Indian community there through continuous advice to them. Help lines run 24 hours a day and missions have been coordinating closely with local administrations for help to Indians, including crew members of Indian ships.
Moreover, the government has coordinated with state governments and union territories to improve their responsiveness towards Indians abroad. Meanwhile, the MEA spokesperson also informed that travel by air is ongoing, though with certain limitations in some regions. From February 28 onwards, almost 9.27 lakh passengers have flown from the region to India, Jaiswal said.
Approximately 100 commercial, scheduled flights are likely to fly in the UAE based on safety grounds. The flights from Saudi Arabia and Oman are operational, and those in Qatar are partially operational.
Nevertheless, there are some limitations in certain countries. Airspace in Kuwait is closed, and travel arrangements can be made via Saudi Arabia. Likewise, Indian citizens in Bahrain can arrange their travel via Saudi Arabia, but partial operations may commence soon.
As many as 2,200 Indian nationals have been helped by the Indian embassy in Tehran to move to Armenia and Azerbaijan, from where they can return to India, MEA informed. The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv is making arrangements for their travel from Israel via Jordan and Egypt. In addition, travel arrangements for Indians leaving Iraq are being made through different channels.