NEW DELHI — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a comprehensive statement in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, March 9, 2026, detailing India’s massive diplomatic and evacuation response to the escalating conflict in West Asia. Amidst a backdrop of opposition sloganeering, the Minister painted a somber picture of the regional volatility, confirming that the crisis has claimed the lives of two Indian mariners, with one still reported missing.
Jaishankar emphasized that while India remains a “part of the neighbourhood” with nearly one crore citizens living in the Gulf, direct leadership-level contact with Iran has become “obviously difficult” due to the current security climate. Despite these constraints, he noted that the Iranian Foreign Minister recently expressed gratitude for India’s humanitarian gesture in allowing the Iranian warship Lavan to dock at Kochi port. The Minister cautioned that the spread of the conflict now poses a direct threat to global supply chains and India’s energy security, given the region’s role as a primary supplier of oil and gas.
Operation Breakdown: Evacuation and Safety Measures
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has shifted into high gear to protect Indian nationals across multiple war-torn and high-alert zones:
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Mass Repatriation: As of Sunday, approximately 67,000 Indians have successfully crossed international borders to return home.
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Strategic Relocations: The Indian Embassy in Tehran has moved students to safer zones and facilitated the transit of business travellers into Armenia to secure their return.
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Aviation Support: Diplomats are stationed at major hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi to assist stranded passengers. Non-scheduled commercial flights are being authorized as soon as regional airspaces partially reopen.
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Regional Alerts: Multiple travel advisories have been issued by missions in Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Syria between February 28 and early March.
The Minister reassured the House that a dedicated MEA control room is operating 24/7 to address the concerns of families in India. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly monitoring the situation personally, Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance that “dialogue and diplomacy” are the only sustainable paths to de-escalation. The government remains on high alert as it navigates the dual challenge of maintaining neutral diplomatic ties while executing one of the largest modern-day evacuations of its citizens from a conflict zone.
