14 Indians rescued in Red Sea as India steps up Gulf consular aid

India is actively providing diplomatic and consular support following reports that 14 Indian nationals were rescued from a vessel in the Red Sea, demonstrating New Delhi's swift response to safeguarding its citizens across West Asia.

The incident came to light after Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier Yahya Saree claimed that the group had rescued 14 Indian nationals from a yacht near Zuqar Island, close to the vital Bab el-Mandeb strait. The spokesperson alleged that the vessel had come under attack from Saudi forces. Saudi authorities have not publicly commented on the yacht incident, and the exact condition of the crew members remains under verification.

Indian diplomatic missions in the region moved immediately to ascertain the facts and extend all required consular aid. With approximately 2.74 million Indian nationals residing in Saudi Arabia alone, the central government has prioritised diaspora safety, deploying round-the-clock administrative resources and issuing real-time safety advisories.

Escalating strikes affect Indian expatriates

The maritime episode follows a sequence of cross-border strikes against civilian and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, which have caused casualties among resident foreign workers.

In the eastern city of Dammam, an Indian national was killed and two others sustained injuries during an aerial strike on King Fahd International Airport on Wednesday night. Hours earlier, an Indian worker was wounded by falling shrapnel after Saudi air defences intercepted a drone targeting the Shaybah oilfield in the Rub' al-Khali desert, an attack that also killed two other foreign workers.

New Delhi acts decisively on diaspora safety

The Ministry of External Affairs took a firm stance against the violence, condemning strikes targeting civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia as completely unacceptable and reiterating India's principled call for peace and regional stability.

Simultaneously, India's robust consular network in Riyadh and Jeddah launched extensive operations to facilitate the safe return of citizens. After several flight disruptions caused by the unrest, the government coordinated directly with commercial carriers and tour operators, successfully overseeing the repatriation of more than 13,000 Indian pilgrims—including roughly 3,000 who were stranded—over a single week.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that arrangements remain in place to bring home any remaining Umrah pilgrims at the earliest opportunity, assisted on the ground by diplomatic staff and Indian community volunteers.

Indian embassies have urged all citizens in the area to adhere strictly to local safety protocols, stay indoors during aerial alerts, and maintain contact with official channels as New Delhi continues to monitor developments closely.