New Delhi, April 24: Amid ongoing tensions in West Asia and the Gulf region, the central government reported on Friday that there are no crowds or disruptions at any of the country’s ports. Additionally, there have been no incidents involving Indian vessels in the past 24 hours, ensuring the safety of all Indian sailors.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is closely monitoring the situation in the Persian Gulf. The ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions, and other maritime agencies to ensure the safety of sailors and uninterrupted maritime operations.
The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) has an active control room operating 24/7, which has responded to 7,553 calls and over 16,000 emails to date. In the last 24 hours alone, the control room received 150 calls and 394 emails. So far, more than 2,729 Indian sailors have been safely brought back to India, including 49 who returned in the last 24 hours.
According to the government, all ports across the country are functioning normally, with no traffic jams or disruptions reported. This indicates that there has been no significant impact on the supply chain, and the movement of essential goods remains smooth.
The Ministry of External Affairs is continuously monitoring developments in the Gulf and West Asia. The safety, assistance, and welfare of Indian citizens residing there are top priorities.
To facilitate this, a special control room operates around the clock, and helplines at Indian embassies are continuously active. Indian missions are in contact with local governments and regularly issue advisories that include travel, safety, and other essential information.
There has been an improvement in flight operations. Since February 28, approximately 1.238 million passengers have returned to India from the region. Around 110 flights operate daily from the UAE to India, with flights also continuing from Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The government further stated that Qatar’s airspace is partially open, allowing flights to operate from there. Kuwait’s airspace has now opened, with regular flights expected to resume soon. Limited flights are also operating from Bahrain and Iraq.
The official statement noted that Iran’s airspace is partially open, but the Indian embassy has advised against travel there. Those present in Iran have been urged to exit via land routes. So far, 2,432 Indians have been safely evacuated through Armenia and Azerbaijan, including 1,096 students and 657 fishermen.
In Israel, airspace has reopened, and limited flights have resumed, providing an option for return to India.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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