New Delhi: India has facilitated the travel of over 11 lakh passengers from West Asia to the country amid ongoing regional tensions, the Ministry of External Affairs said this week.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial press briefing, Joint Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan said the movement has been enabled through continuous flight operations and alternative travel routes as the two-week ceasefire window in the region approaches its end on April 22.
“Since February 28, around 11,30,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India. Airlines continue to operate limited commercial flights based on operational and safety considerations,” he said.
Mahajan noted that flight operations are continuing from countries where airspace remains open, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar.
Providing an update on Iran, Mahajan said its airspace remains partially open for cargo and chartered flights. “Our embassy in Tehran continues to facilitate the movement of Indian nationals through Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India,” he said.
So far, 2,423 Indian nationals have been moved from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan, including 1,091 students and 657 fishermen.
