New Delhi: With the military conflict escalating in West Asia, the Indian government said this week that the welfare of about one crore Indian diaspora in the Gulf region is its utmost priority.
Two Indians were killed, and one went missing when the merchant vessel they were on board came under attack during the West Asia crisis, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a news briefing.
“The welfare of a diaspora is of utmost priority, high priority and importance to us... We remain committed to the welfare of our citizens, our nationals who reside in the GCC and the West Asian countries. All our missions in the region are in regular touch with our community members. They issued advisories and regularly updating them,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to several leaders in the region, including leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Israel, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also been in regular touch with his counterparts in these countries, as also Iran.
Jaiswal said the MEA is closely monitoring the situation involving Indian nationals in the region and that Indian missions are working to ensure the safety and welfare of the diaspora.
India has about one crore citizens living in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and their safety remains a priority, he said. About 9,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran, with the Indian mission maintaining close contact with the community.
