India Wants Peace in West Asia, Working Hard to Bring Citizens Home Safely

**AMERICA NEWS WORL

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American WORLD NEWS | Monday, March 9, 2026

By Prashant Jain | America News World | March 9, 2026

India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stood up in Parliament on Monday and gave a clear message to the whole country: India wants the war in West Asia to stop, and the government will do everything to keep Indian citizens safe.

Speaking in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, Mr. Jaishankar said India believes in peace, talks, and diplomacy. He said that fighting and violence are not the right way to solve problems between countries. Instead, all nations should sit down and talk to each other. He also said that every country in the region must respect the borders and independence of other countries.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaking in Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 9, 2026). | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf nations. Every effort is being made to bring back Indians stuck in West Asia.” — S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister

The biggest worry for India right now is the safety of its people. About one crore — that is ten million — Indian citizens live and work in the Gulf countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Thousands more are in Iran for study and work. Mr. Jaishankar said the safety and well-being of all these Indians is the top priority for the Indian government.

So far, nearly 67,000 Indian nationals have returned home from the West Asia region. In just one week — from March 1 to March 7 — more than 52,000 Indians came back after airports in the region partially reopened. The Indian government arranged extra flights and other travel options to help people get home safely. Some Indians who could not fly directly were helped to travel through nearby countries like Armenia, from where they could catch flights back to India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is watching the situation very closely. The Cabinet Committee on Security, which is chaired by PM Modi, has been meeting regularly to look at the problems caused by the conflict. They are checking what the war means for India’s safety, trade, and energy supply. Mr. Jaishankar confirmed that PM Modi has personally spoken to the leaders of the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, and Israel. All of them have given assurances that Indian citizens in their countries are safe.

The Gulf region is very important for India for another big reason — oil and money. India buys a large share of its oil and gas from the Gulf countries. Also, the total trade between India and the Gulf region is nearly $200 billion every year. That is a very large amount, and any disruption to this trade would hurt ordinary Indians through higher fuel and food prices.

Indian sailors working on ships in the region have also been affected. Attacks on merchant ships have caused casualties among Indian seafarers, and one Indian mariner is still missing. The Directorate General of Shipping has set up a quick response team especially to help Indian seafarers in danger.

The Ministry of External Affairs has set up a special 24-hour control room to track the situation and help Indians who need assistance. Since January, the government has also been issuing travel advisories, asking Indians not to go to Iran unless absolutely necessary, and telling those already there to stay in touch with the Indian embassy.

On the diplomatic front, India has been in regular contact with the United States. Mr. Jaishankar said India has maintained communication with Washington through diplomatic channels. He also mentioned that he personally spoke to Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi on February 20 and March 5, and plans to continue those high-level conversations in the coming days.

In a notable humanitarian gesture, India allowed an Iranian ship called IRIS Lavan to dock at the port of Kochi on March 4. Permission was granted for humanitarian reasons, showing that India is trying to stay balanced and helpful even in the middle of a very difficult situation.

Mr. Jaishankar ended his statement by making India’s position crystal clear. He said that Indian consumers will always remain the top priority, and Indian diplomacy will keep supporting its energy companies during this difficult and unstable period. In simple words, India’s message to the world is this: stop the war, start talking, and let our people come home safely.