Indians In Israel To Be Evacuated Via Egypt Or Jordan: Indian Envoy To NDTV

India will try to bring home its nationals who are stranded in Israel "the moment there's a window available", amid the rapid escalation of hostilities with Iran, India's Ambassador to Israel JP Singh told NDTV.

Singh said the Indian embassy is in touch with all those who are stranded.

"The embassy has issued an advisory again. We will plan their exit through Egypt or Jordan, whichever route is safer and the moment there is a window available. At present, the situation is not conducive for road travel," Singh said.

"All are advised to follow advisories and local authorities instructions," he added.

India has always deployed an effective evacuation mission every time its citizens needed help to return home during times of crises. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, many Indians were brought home in special aircraft arranged by the government.

Earlier on Saturday, India had asked all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation, emphasising that sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke on the phone with the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar.

The US-Israel joint strikes on Iran came after weeks of negotiations between Washington and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear programme failed to give any tangible outcome.

There are also a large number of Indians in other Middle East nations affected by the hostilities, including the UAE, where Iran launched missiles because they housed US troops.

Use Utmost Caution

All Indian nationals in Iran, Israel and other affected countries have been asked to use utmost caution. The Indian missions in these countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Palestine issued separate advisories, urging Indian nationals to remain vigilant and follow safety and emergency protocols.

According to official estimates in January, approximately over 10,000 Indians, including students, were living in Iran. There are some 41,000 members of the Indian community in Israel.

They have been asked to stay in close proximity to designated shelters and familiarise themselves with the nearest protected spaces in their area of residence or work. The mission told them to contact the embassy in Tel Aviv in case of any emergency.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh said Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia have been told to remain vigilant and strictly adhere to the safety guidelines prescribed by local authorities.

Following the strikes, US President Donald Trump called on the people of Iran to "take over" the government, saying, "It will probably be your only chance for generations."

The US-Israel joint strikes on Iran came after weeks of negotiations between Washington and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear programme failed to bring any result.