Govt working promptly, every Indian on foreign land will be safe: Rijiju

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working promptly to rescue Indian citizens stranded in several Middle East countries due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

Speaking to reporters, Rijiju said, "The government works promptly under the leadership of PM Modi to rescue in such situations...every Indian at foreign land will be safe."

"The previous governments did not offer such comprehensive aid, which is now managed by the Ministry of External Affairs through its missions in various countries...", said the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

The Middle East is plunged into turmoil following joint US-Israel missile strikes on Iran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliatory attacks and widespread instability across the region. The conflict has disrupted air travel, forced airport closures, and prompted India to issue urgent advisories urging its citizens in Iran, Israel, and Gulf countries, including the UAE, to exercise utmost caution.

Around 3,000 students, including 2,000 from Jammu and Kashmir, are stranded in Iran, prompting a student association from Jammu an Kashmir to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking their immediate evacuation.

Several travellers from Madhya Pradesh had gone to Dubai and Sharjah for tourism and business purposes when the crisis erupted. In the UAE, over 700 people from Madhya Pradesh, including former MLA and BJP leader Sanjay Shukla, are unable to return due to cancelled flights and temporary airport shutdowns. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait stepped in to help Indians stuck there as the airspace is shutdown.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued urgent advisories for Indians in the conflict-hit region. Indian embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv have established 24x7 helplines and are coordinating with local authorities.