Indian Prime Minister Narendra spoke to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, HT has learnt.
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Prime Minister Modi condemned the attacks on these two countries, as the US-Israeli attack on Iran and the latter’s counter-strikes swept across the wider West Asia region (also referred to as the Middle East).
He also discussed the welfare of the Indian community in both the countries, people familiar with the matter told HT on Monday.
Iran launches multiple attacks, including strikes on an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.
Prime Minister Modi’s calls to the leaders of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia came a day after Prime Minister Modi called and told UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed that India condemns the attacks on the UAE and stands in solidarity with them while calling for de-escalation and regional peace.
The leaders spoke after Iran continued to launch missile and drone strikes against several West Asian countries that have US military bases, in response to joint Israeli-US air strikes on Saturday that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and others.
“I spoke with the President of the UAE, my brother Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He strongly condemned the attacks on the UAE and offered my condolences for the loss of lives in these attacks,” Modi said in a social media post.
“India stands in solidarity with the UAE in these difficult times,” he said. “We support de-escalation, regional peace, security and stability.”
Modi said that he thanked Sheikh Mohammed for taking care of the Indian community in the UAE.
Earlier on Sunday, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with his Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi to discuss the situation in the region.
Oman participated in mediating last-minute talks between Iran and the United States before launching military strikes on Tehran and other cities.
“I had a phone call this evening with Omani Foreign Minister @badralbusaidi. I expressed my appreciation for his assessments and thoughts on the ongoing conflict,” Jaishankar said on social media.
India maintained a cautious silence regarding Khamenei’s killing.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday urged all parties concerned in West Asia to exercise restraint and avoid escalation. The statement also stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
More than 10 million Indians live and work in West Asian countries. About 10,000 Indians live in Iran, while more than 40,000 Indians live in Israel.
Indian missions in Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have issued warnings urging Indian citizens to be cautious and avoid non-essential travel.
