India has stepped up assistance to its citizens in West Asia as escalating regional tensions continue to disrupt travel and safety conditions, with hundreds of Indians repatriated from Lebanon and Qatar on commercial flights. According to the Indian Embassy in Beirut, the first batch of 177 Indian nationals was repatriated to New Delhi on a charter flight arranged by their employer yesterday. The group was seen off at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport by India’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Noor Rahman Sheikh. 

 

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Qatar said more than 500 Indians who had been stranded in Qatar travelled to India on Qatar Airways flights yesterday. The passengers departed for destinations including New Delhi and Mumbai. The embassy added that Qatar Airways is scheduled to operate two additional flights to India today, one each to New Delhi and Mumbai, to facilitate further travel. The Embassy also said that special attention is being given to the quick issuance of passports for Indian nationals. Due to the current situation, the Embassy is open on all days of the week for taking passport applications and Tatkal passports are being issued within one to two days.