New Delhi, Mar 26 — Nearly 4.5 lakh passengers have returned to India since February 28 as the Centre intensifies evacuation efforts amid disruptions caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict, officials said on Thursday.
Authorities said flight operations are gradually stabilising, with additional services being mounted and evacuation corridors through third countries being actively utilised.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and crew in sensitive waters, particularly in the western Persian Gulf. “All Indian seafarers are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours,” the ministry said.
At present, 20 Indian-flagged vessels with around 540 Indian seafarers remain in the region. The government has facilitated the repatriation of over 674 seafarers so far, including 39 in the last 24 hours.
A 24x7 control room set up by the Directorate General of Shipping has handled 4,228 calls and 8,221 emails since its activation, including 120 calls and 312 emails in the past day, reflecting ongoing coordination and distress queries.
Officials said port operations across India remain normal, with maritime boards in key coastal states reporting no congestion and uninterrupted trade flows.
The Ministry of External Affairs has stepped up outreach, with missions across the Gulf and wider region operating round the clock and maintaining contact with community groups and local authorities.
Evacuation logistics are being adjusted in response to shifting airspace restrictions. The UAE is operating limited non-scheduled flights, with around 80 expected on Thursday, while services from Saudi Arabia and Oman remain steady.
In Qatar, where airspace is partially open, 8–9 special flights are expected. For Kuwait and Bahrain, evacuation flights are being routed via Dammam in Saudi Arabia due to airspace closures.
Alternative corridors have also been activated, including through Armenia and Azerbaijan for Iran, and via Jordan for Israel.
Officials said the government’s response remains focused on the “safety, security and welfare” of Indian nationals, with coordination between ministries, states and overseas missions continuing.