New Delhi

India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that two Indian nationals have died and one remains missing amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the incidents occurred when merchant vessels carrying Indian nationals were attacked in conflict-affected waters.

“As for the casualties, we have lost two Indian nationals, and one remains missing. We express our condolences to their families. The incidents occurred when they were on merchant vessels that came under attack,” Jaiswal said.

He noted that the welfare and safety of India’s large diaspora in the Gulf region remains the government’s “utmost priority”.

According to the MEA, around 10 million Indians live in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“As you know, we have a large diaspora in GCC countries, numbering around 10 million. The welfare of our diaspora is of utmost priority and importance to us,” the spokesperson said.

The ministry also confirmed that several Indian nationals have been injured during the conflict. One Indian was injured in Israel, while another reportedly sustained injuries in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Jaiswal said Indian missions across the region are in constant contact with the community and are coordinating assistance for those affected.

To help Indian nationals amid the volatile situation, the MEA has established a 24-hour control room in New Delhi to handle emergency requests and coordinate with Indian embassies and consulates in affected countries.

“I would also like to update you that the MEA has started a control room which is functioning throughout the day. Yesterday, we received 75 phone calls and 11 emails. Today, we are continuing the same effort with officials manning the control room and doing our best to assist people,” Jaiswal said.

He added that Narendra Modi has spoken with several leaders in the region, including those from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Israel regarding the evolving situation.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is also maintaining regular contact with his counterparts in the region, including officials from Iran.

The conflict escalated after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on February 28, following which Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Israeli and US-linked targets across the Gulf region.

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The escalating hostilities have disrupted major shipping routes and global energy markets, raising concerns about international economic stability.