Two Indians were killed in a drone attack in Sohar city in Oman while 10 Indians were among 11 people injured, the government said on Friday, even as it assured citizens that there is no shortage of fuel supplies in India despite rising tensions in West Asia.
Citing a security source, Al Jazeera reported that the drone crashed in the al-Awahi industrial area, resulting in the deaths of two foreign workers and injuries to several others.
At a government briefing, Additional Secretary in the Gulf Division at the Ministry of External Affairs, Aseem Mahajan, confirmed that the incident took place in Sohar, a city near Muscat.
"We deeply regret to share that two Indian nationals lost their lives in the attack. Out of the 11 people injured, 10 are Indians. Five have already been discharged after treatment while the remaining five are undergoing treatment in hospitals. None of the injuries are serious," he said.
Indian authorities are in close touch with local officials and the company involved to assist those injured. The Indian mission is also helping with the repatriation of the mortal remains of the victims.
The government also said it is closely monitoring the safety of Indians across the Gulf region where nearly one crore Indian nationals live and work.
The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has remained engaged with countries in West Asia amid the current security situation. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and conveyed concern about the safety of Indians in the region as well as the security of energy transit routes.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, discussing both bilateral matters and the regional situation.
Officials said around 170 Indian nationals who were in Iran have recently crossed the land border into Armenia and several of them have already returned to India. Others are expected to travel back using commercial flights in the coming days.
The government also provided updates on Indian seafarers in the Gulf amid concerns over maritime security near the Strait of Hormuz.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the shipping ministry, said there are currently 24 Indian flagged vessels west of the strait carrying 677 Indian sailors. Three vessels remain east of the strait with 76 Indian sailors on board. Across the Gulf region, nearly 23,000 Indian seafarers are working on merchant and offshore vessels.
He said authorities are actively monitoring all ships in the region and fresh advisories have been issued by the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure the safety of Indian vessels and crews.
In another incident linked to the tensions in the region, the crew of the vessel Safesea Vishnu was safely evacuated after an attack near Basra in Iraq. The 15 rescued seafarers are currently staying in a hotel in Basra while arrangements are being made for their return.
Even as the security situation in West Asia has triggered concerns about energy supplies, the government strongly denied reports of any shortage of petrol, diesel, LPG or natural gas in India.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said India's refining capacity stands at 258 million metric tonnes and the country is self sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel.
"All our refineries are operating at full capacity and we have adequate inventories of crude oil. Supplies are being maintained and there is absolutely no need for panic," she said.
The government said around 50 lakh domestic LPG cylinders are delivered every day across the country. India currently has more than 33 crore LPG consumers and over 10.5 crore connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
More than 1.5 crore households are connected to domestic piped natural gas networks and the government said the supply of PNG and CNG for vehicles will continue without any cuts.
However, officials acknowledged that LPG bookings have increased in recent days amid panic buying. Daily bookings that usually remain around 50 lakh have risen to nearly 70 to 80 lakh.
Sharma urged citizens not to rush to distributors or create panic. She said most bookings are already being done through digital platforms and cylinders will continue to be delivered through the system.
The government also appealed to consumers who have the option of piped natural gas to shift from LPG to PNG, noting that nearly six million households can immediately switch to the pipeline network.
Several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, have reviewed the LPG supply chain and are taking action against hoarding of cylinders.
Officials reiterated that there is no shortage of fuel or cooking gas in the country and urged citizens not to spread rumours.
