Indian seafarers in West Asia are safe, no incidents reported: Govt

Indian Seafarers Safe, Port Operations Normal

All Indian seafarers in the West Asia region, particularly the Persian Gulf, are safe, with no incidents reported involving Indian-flagged vessels and port operations across the country continue normally without congestion, a Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways official said on Friday.

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Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing, Additional Secretary in the Ministry, Mukesh Mangal said, "All Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian Indian-flagged vessel has been reported in past 24 hours... Post operations are normal across the country, with no congestion recorded."

India's Directorate General Shipping control room has handled 6,727 calls and over 13,900 emails since activation, including 147 calls and 276 emails in the last 24 hours. So far, over 2,400 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated, including 30 in the last 24 hours from the Gulf region.

Government Outlines Broader Safety and Evacuation Measures

"Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in coordination with Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders, continues to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations, " the Additional Secretary said.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf has been high amid the tensions between US and Iran. During the Inter-Ministerial briefing held in the national capital today, Joint Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan outlined the extensive measures being taken to ensure the safety of citizens amidst regional volatility.

"The dedicated mission control rooms set up to coordinate evacuation and aviation assistance operations are actively working in close coordination with state and Union Territory control rooms, maintaining continuous communication with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure timely support, safety, and dissemination of updated advisories," said Mahajan.

The government confirmed that a total of 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been facilitated through a combination of coordinated evacuations and regulated commercial travel. These operations have relied on a "round-the-clock" mission control infrastructure designed to bridge communication between Indian missions, state governments, and international airlines.

Mahajan stated that the special control rooms remain "operational round the clock and are regularly engaging with Indian missions, airlines, and relevant authorities to facilitate seamless communication and coordination on priority."The focus of the ongoing efforts continues to be on ensuring the safety of Indian nationals abroad, while also assisting in regulated flight operations in regions where airspace restrictions are gradually easing.

According to the update, since February, a total of around 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been rescued and assisted through "coordinated evacuation and travel facilitation efforts." The operations have involved both scheduled and non-scheduled commercial flights, with airlines continuing to operate under changing airspace conditions across West Asia. (ANI)