India has offered assistance to foreign nationals who were stranded in India and had to change their travel plans due to ongoing clashes in the Middle East and Gulf region. This warning comes at a time when several countries closed their airspace and airlines canceled their air operations, with the joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran on Saturday escalating into a broader conflict in the region. Track updates on the Iran-US conflict
“All foreign nationals in India, who have had to change their travel plans due to ongoing developments in the West Asia region and need assistance in extending their visa or regularizing their stay, are requested to contact the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO),” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.
This warning comes amid a wave of flight cancellations as the conflict in the Middle East has disrupted many flight routes. Major airports in the UAE such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi suspended operations after Iran launched attacks on US facilities following the Israeli-US attacks on Sunday.
Earlier, Khaleej Times reported that more than 700 flights were suspended across the Gulf region and the Middle East on Sunday due to the outbreak of the crisis in the region. The number is likely to rise during the day.
In addition, authorities said flight operations at Dubai International Airport remained suspended, and an Iranian drone reportedly struck the main aviation hub causing “limited damage” to one of the airport buildings and injuring four people. All flights to and from Dubai Airport were canceled on Sunday, according to FlightRadar24 data at 9:25 am (IST). The disruption of aviation operations comes amid joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday, followed by Iranian retaliation.
