New Delhi: India on Friday asked its countries not to travel to Iran and Israel amid fears of Tehran attacking Israeli soil in retaliation for the attacks on the Iranian Consulate in Syria 11 days ago.
People familiar with the latest developments said no Indians will now be allowed to go to Israel to work in the construction sector. The first batch of 64 Indian workers left for Israel earlier this month and more than 6,000 construction workers from India were scheduled to leave for Israel in April and May.
Tension has increased in West Asia after the attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus. Iran blamed Israel for the attack and media reports from Tel Aviv said Israeli forces were preparing for any eventuality.
In an advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged Indians living in Iran and Israel to exercise utmost caution about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum.
” In view of the conquering situation in the two countries area, all Indians are admonished do not to travel to Iran or Israel until another notice,” it said.” Those who are presently living in Iran or Israel are asked to communicate the Indian teams there and get themselves enrolled,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.” They’re also requisitioned to exercise remotest precaution viewing their safety and confine their exercise to the minimum,” it added.
According to official estimates, there are around 4,000 Indians currently living in Iran, while the number in Israel is around 18,500. It is learned that New Delhi is considering various contingencies, including possible evacuation of Indians from both countries if the overall situation worsens. Israel is on high alert after Iran’s threats, with intelligence reports suggesting that Tehran was preparing to attack targets in Israel in response to the April 1 attack on its consulate in Damascus.
Following the Israel–Hamas conflict, some media reports said that the Israeli construction industry is considering hiring 100,000 Indian workers in place of 90,000 Palestinians. According to the plan, more than 6,000 construction workers from India were to be brought to Israel in April and May.
They will be convinced to Israel on an” air shuttle” following by Israeli Prime Minister’s Office mutual decision, the Finance Ministry and the Construction and Housing Ministry on subsidizing privilege flights, a statement published by the Israeli government late Wednesday said. Last week, India had expounded concern over the terminal attack on the Iranian diplomatic emulsion in the Syrian capital Damascus and said it was worried by the arising pressures in West Asia and their implicit to fuel farther insecurity.
Iranian media reported that seven Revolutionary Guard personnel, including two generals, were killed in the attack. Israel continues its military offensive in Gaza in retaliation for the unprecedented attack on Israeli cities by Hamas on October 7.
Hamas killed about 1,200 people in Israel and abducted further than 220 others, some of whom were released during the sententious ceasefire. The Israeli descent in Gaza has killed further than 33,000 people, according to Hamas- run public servants. India has been calling forde-escalation of the situation and creating conditions for the early resumption of direct peace declamations towards a two- state result to the Palestine issue.
