India urges nationals in Saudi Arabia to stay indoors during aerial attacks

India on Thursday issued an updated advisory asking its nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow the instructions of local authorities and stay indoors during any aerial attack, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The advisory comes amid tensions in Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh also advised Indian nationals against filming, publishing or sharing information about operations to counter missiles and drones. Such actions could expose individuals to legal liability under local rules, the embassy said, according to PTI.

Providing an update on Indian nationals injured in the October 10 attack on Riyadh airport, the embassy said two people were in the intensive care unit, one was in a high-dependency unit and three were recovering in a general ward. One person was discharged on Thursday.

An Indian national was killed in the attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh. Several others were injured, including 11 Indian nationals.

Flight operations remain suspended at Riyadh airport. Flights continue from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina airports, though some services have been disrupted, the embassy said.

Indian carriers Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and IndiGo have suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia until October 17. Saudia continues to operate scheduled flights from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina, while Flynas is operating scheduled services on the Dammam–Lucknow route, the embassy said.

Indian nationals who need to leave Saudi Arabia urgently may consider taking flights from neighbouring countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. However, they will be responsible for obtaining the visas required to enter these countries, the embassy said.

Those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia, including for Umrah, have been advised to prepare for possible flight disruptions at short notice because of the prevailing situation.

India has set up an additional control room in Makkah to assist Indian nationals, particularly Umrah pilgrims, affected by flight disruptions between India and Saudi Arabia, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah said on Wednesday. The control room has been established at the Indian Haj Pilgrims Office in Makkah, while the consulate's existing 24-hour control room in Jeddah will continue to operate.

On Tuesday, the consulate advised Indian nationals, particularly Umrah pilgrims travelling to and from Jeddah and Madinah, to remain in regular contact with their airlines and check their flight status before leaving for airports.

Umrah is an Islamic religious ritual that can be performed at any time of the year, unlike the annual Haj pilgrimage. Pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia to undertake the pilgrimage in Makkah, Islam's holiest city.

Indian authorities have asked nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow local safety directions, avoid sharing information about missile and drone interception operations, and check flight schedules amid continuing disruptions.

With PTI Inputs

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