Repatriation Efforts Underway

Around 3,000 stranded Indian Umrah pilgrims have successfully returned home from Saudi Arabia over the past week, following intensive diplomatic coordination between Indian authorities, commercial airlines, and regional tour operators.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the ongoing rescue and return operations, highlighting that the latest batch of arrivals comes alongside more than 10,000 regularly scheduled pilgrims who managed to fly back to India during the same period. Authorities are continuing to negotiate additional logistical arrangements to secure the safe return of all remaining citizens currently in the Kingdom.

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated via social media that diplomatic missions are working around the clock to stabilize the situation.

"Our Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah are actively engaging with concerned airlines and tour operators to facilitate the early return of affected pilgrims. Over the past week, about 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims have travelled from Saudi Arabia back to India on available flights," Jaiswal posted.

Ground Support and 24/7 Control Rooms

To manage the logistics and provide welfare assistance on the ground, Indian diplomatic posts have established round-the-clock emergency support mechanisms. Operating in close coordination with local community volunteer networks, the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah have set up continuous control rooms to address individual grievances and issue updated travel advisories.

The extraordinary measures follow escalating regional security concerns, highlighted by a recent attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Saudi authorities confirmed that the incident resulted in casualties, including one Indian national killed and two others injured. The Indian Embassy has initiated direct contact with the grieving families and is overseeing medical treatment for the injured.

Emergency Helplines for Citizens in Saudi Arabia

For Indian nationals requiring urgent consular assistance or welfare support in the Kingdom, the MEA has released dedicated contact channels:

* Embassy of India, Riyadh: * Telephone: +966-554412016, +966-542126784 * Toll-Free (within KSA): 8002471234 * WhatsApp (Messages Only): +966-536216082

* Consulate General of India, Jeddah: * Telephone: +966-12-2614093, +966-556122301 * WhatsApp (Messages Only): +966-536209704

Indian diplomatic missions have urged all remaining citizens to stay connected with local tour coordinators and monitor official social media channels for the latest travel updates.