Middle East Tensions Disrupt India Flights
- By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
- Mar 02, 2026
- 627
Amid the escalating fallout of the Israel–Iran conflict, more than 760 international flights to and from India have been cancelled over the past two days, severely disrupting air travel nationwide. At Indira Gandhi International Airport alone, 87 flights were grounded on Tuesday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.
In response, IndiGo announced it will operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah beginning Tuesday to assist affected passengers. Air India Express is also set to resume services to and from Muscat to ease travel disruptions.
The regional tensions have had direct repercussions for Indian nationals. An Indian sailor was killed in a bomb-laden drone attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday. India has suspended visa and passport services in Bahrain due to the volatile security environment. The BAPS Hindu Temple has been closed to visitors until March 9 as a precautionary measure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held telephonic conversations with the King of Bahrain, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and the King of Jordan to discuss the safety and welfare of the Indian diaspora. Earlier in the day, following a meeting in New Delhi with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Modi described the situation in West Asia as “deeply concerning” and reaffirmed India’s commitment to working with all nations to safeguard its citizens abroad.
Approximately 10,000 Indians reside in Iran, while more than 40,000 live in Israel. Overall, nearly nine million Indians are based across the Gulf and West Asia. Indian embassies in Kuwait, Austria, Oman and Lebanon have issued advisories for citizens in light of the deteriorating security situation. India’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Parmita Tripathi, also conducted a virtual interaction with prominent members of the Indian community there.
Meanwhile, protests have intensified across parts of India and Pakistan following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. For a second consecutive day, demonstrations erupted in Srinagar, where security forces resorted to baton charges and tear gas in the Bemina area. Markets remained closed in Shopian, Baramulla and Bandipora, and several individuals were detained.
Unrest also spread across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). In Gilgit-Baltistan, protesters reportedly set fire to a United Nations office, while in Skardu, the district magistrate’s office and multiple government buildings were torched. Seven protesters were killed and over a dozen injured in firing by security personnel.
On Sunday, protests also broke out outside the US Consulate in Karachi, where demonstrators reportedly breached the premises. Gunfire was allegedly discharged from within the consulate compound, resulting in 23 fatalities and multiple injuries.
In New Delhi, security has been significantly heightened, particularly around diplomatic missions and Shia-majority neighbourhoods, as authorities seek to prevent further unrest linked to regional developments.