‘Hope to travel to India as soon as airspace opens’: Middle East NRIs as US-Iran conflict spreads across region

INdian residents of midriff due east or westward asiatic countries ar huddled indoors after the US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered Tehran's retaliation with missiles fired at US military bases across the region. Panic has gripped cities near the bases, residents told HT on Saturday.Shailja, an India resident of Qatar's capital city Doha, told HT, “There were loud sounds of explosions but seemed to be from far away for now — probably missiles intercepted in the air.”A 50-year-old mother of two daughters, she further said over text messages, "We’re taking precautions and staying indoors. We hope to travel to India as soon as airspace opens. So far there's been no damage in our area. But we are keeping a watch and staying close together."Another NRI in Doha spoke on similar lines: “We heard explosions, though there is no chaos as of now, But we don't know if there will be any. We are staying indoors for now.”In Kuwait, residents have received a message on their phones about what to do when they hear a warning siren: “Interrupted tone: Indicates that danger is approaching. Wavering tone: Indicates that danger is occurring. Continuous tone: Indicates that the danger has ended. Accordingly, citizens and residents must remain calm, avoid panic, and listen to Civil Defense authorities through official media channels. Issued by the Ministry of Interior.”Also read | Indian nationals in UAE, Iran, Israel, Riyadh warned amid Middle East conflict: Full list of Indian advisories“Sirens have been ringing out since morning. There is no clear military movement, but we know people who are saying there is a lot of movement at the Al Salem base. I am worried for my children. They are all sheltering at our shop,” said a mother of two who is a Kuwait resident for over 25 years.How many Indians in Iran, region?According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India's Data on Indian Diaspora Abroad (as of January 2025), as tabled in response to to a Lok Sabha question, approximately 9.7 million (or 97 lakh) Indians live and work across the Middle East.The largest concentration is in the UAE, which alone hosts nearly 3.9 million Indians, followed by Saudi Arabia (2.75 million), Kuwait (1.01 million), Qatar (830,000), Oman (662,000), and Bahrain (347,000). These six Gulf Cooperation Council states together account for the overwhelming majority of the diaspora.There are 10,765 Indians in Iran. Significant communities exist in Israel (123,000), Iraq (17,100), Jordan (17,050), Lebanon (2,041), and Yemen (1,120) too.In the Gulf states, most NRIs are migrant workers on temporary visas.Also read | 'Moral cowardice': PM Modi's Israel visit under fire as US-Israel launch strikes on IranThis diaspora now finds itself at the centre of a rapidly escalating regional crisis as, on the morning of February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on multiple sites across Iran, including targets near Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom.Iran has retaliated, warning that all American and Israeli assets across the Middle East were “legitimate targets”, with explosions reported in northern Israel and interceptions of Iranian missiles over Qatar.The Indian embassy in Tehran has issued an advisory urging all Indians in Iran to “exercise utmost caution, avoid unnecessary movements and remain indoors”, while activating emergency helplines. The Indian embassy in Israel issued a similar alert.In Qatar, the embassy urged nationals to follow local authority advisories, while Air India turned back a Delhi–Tel Aviv flight mid-journey and IndiGo cancelled all Middle East flights due to airspace closures.As of now, New Delhi has not announced any evacuation.The Indian Embassy in Tehran posted on X: "In view of the developing situation, all Indian nationals in Iran are advised to exercise utmost caution, avoid unnecessary movements and remain indoors as far as possible."The embassy in Israel issued an advisory urging all Indian nationals to exercise “utmost caution”, strictly follow safety protocols from Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command, and avoid all non-essential travel. The embassy activated a 24-hour helpline for consular assistance.In Qatar, the Indian embassy posted on X: "In view of the current regional situation, all Indian nationals in Qatar are advised to take due care, follow news and advisories as and when issued by the Embassy and local authorities. Our Embassy is continuing to function as usual."Air travel disruptionsIndian airlines, mainly Air India and IndiGo, cancelled all Middle East flights.Air India confirmed that flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv was forced to turn back mid-journey due to the closure of Israeli airspace. Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport also issued a warning of potential disruptions on west-bound international flights.IndiGo said it has cancelled all flights to and from the Middle East until midnight, citing airspace restrictions around Iran and the region.