With a fragile ceasefire in effect and ongoing backchannel peace talks mediated by Pakistan, numerous countries have reopened their airspaces, and travel plans to the region are resuming.
Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) at the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that flights between India and various Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, are currently operational. He shared this information during a press briefing in New Delhi on May 11.
Mahajan noted that the overall flight landscape is steadily improving, with more flights available from the region to different destinations in India.
He highlighted that the UAE airspace is open, with both Indian and UAE airlines operating flights to multiple destinations in India.
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Likewise, the airspace of Saudi Arabia and Oman remains open, with flights operated by Indian, Saudi, and Omani carriers transporting passengers among various destinations.
Mahajan commented on Qatar’s airspace, which is partially open, noting that airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Qatar Airways are currently flying.
Kuwait’s airspace is also operational, with Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways providing flights.
Bahrain’s airspace is accessible, with Air India Express, IndiGo, and Gulf Air active in the region.
The MEA official added that Iraq’s airspace is open, though flights to regional destinations are limited, which can assist travelers heading to India.
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Mahajan further mentioned that while Iran’s airspace is partially open, India has advised its nationals against traveling there and encouraged those already present to leave with assistance from the embassy.
To date, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has aided in the safe passage of 2,549 Indian nationals from Iran via land borders, Mahajan reported.
Additionally, the Israeli airspace is open, albeit with limited flight operations.
