India sets up control room, releases helpline number amid Middle East crisis

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a special control room to assist Indian nationals affected by the escalating crisis in West Asia and the Gulf. The move comes against a backdrop of growing security concerns as tensions continue to rise in the region.“In view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up a control room,” the ministry said on Wednesday.

Nearly 10 million Indian citizens live in West Asia, the MEA said in a statement, adding that their safety and well-being remained the government’s “top priority”.“The control room can be contacted from 9 am to 9 pm: 1800118797 (toll-free) +91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 4104, +91 11 2301 7905,” the statement added. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government will continue to pay close attention to the development of the situation and make appropriate decisions based on national interests. New Delhi remains in touch with governments in the region and other key international partners, the statement added.Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah said on Tuesday that it would fully support Indian citizens traveling on special flights from the city due to regional travel disruption caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.Consul General Fahd Ahmed Khan Suri and senior officials visited King Abdulaziz International Airport to review arrangements for Indian passengers traveling on non-scheduled flights to various destinations in India, the Consulate General said in a statement.These special flights operated by Air India have been arranged to mitigate the impact of recent flight disruptions and facilitate the return of affected passengers.On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated military strike against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures in one of the most serious escalations in the region in decades.In the following days, Iran launched a series of retaliatory attacks, mainly targeting Israeli and US military bases in several Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.