External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar has said that the government is closely monitoring the emerging developments in West Asia and relevant Ministries are coordinating to ensure an effective response. Making a statement in the Rajya Sabha regarding the situation in West Asia, Dr Jaishankar said that, given the severity of the situation, the government is working to ensure that both the security and safety of the citizens are protected.
He said the government believes that dialogue and diplomacy continue to pursue to de-escalate in the region. He said that India has warned residents in Iran in January 2026 to avoid non-essential travel to Iran and the residents were asked to register with the Indian Embassy and exercise due caution.
He said that the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was concerned of the conflict and the difficulties faced by Indians in the region. The Minister added that Mr. Modi is continuing to closely monitor the development and noted that all Ministers were directed to take appropriate measures to tackle this issue. He informed the House that Mr Modi spoke to the heads of state of the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Israel, and Bahrain and urged all to ease the situation.
Mr. Jaishankar said there are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf nations. He said the region is important for energy security, oil and gas supply, and the Gulf region is a major trading partner for India, accounting for almost 200 billion dollars annually. He said that the conflict also affects marine shipping, where Indians are a large part of the crews. The External Affairs Minister said the conflict has continued to intensify, and the security situation in the region has deteriorated. He said the conflict has spread to other countries, with mounting destruction and normal life and activities are visibly affected.
Dr S. Jaishankar has said that the Indian Embassy has facilitated the relocation of several Indian students in Tehran, and Indian nationals in Iran on business were facilitated to cross over to Armenia to return to India. He further added that the Indian Embassy in Tehran remains fully operational and on high alert. The Minister added that almost 67,000 of Indian nationals have crossed international borders to return, and every effort is being made to bring back the people from West Asia.
