India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in West Asia and called for restraint by all parties, even as it urged its citizens to avoid travelling to Iran.
The external affairs ministry said it is closely monitoring the rise in tensions after Iran fired hundreds of missiles at Israel on Tuesday. Iranian authorities described the missile strikes as a response to Israeli attacks on people in Gaza and Lebanon, and the assassination of top leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hamas and Hezbollah.
“We are deeply concerned at the escalation of [the] security situation in West Asia and reiterate our call for restraint by all concerned and protection of civilians,” the external affairs ministry said in a brief statement.
The Indian side reiterated its call for an end to hostilities in West Asia, which is home to some nine million Indian expatriates, and a return to dialogue and diplomacy to find a solution.
“It is important that the conflict doesn’t take a wider regional dimension and we urge that all issues be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement said.
Earlier, a travel advisory issued by the ministry urged Indian citizens to avoid travelling to Iran. The advisory came hours after the Indian embassy in Israel advised citizens to stay vigilant and adhere to safety protocols.
“We are closely monitoring the recent escalation in the security situation in the region,” the travel advisory said.
Indian nationals should “avoid all non-essential travel to Iran”, it said. “Those currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran,” the advisory added.
Iran is home to more than 4,000 Indian nationals, including students, academics and petty traders.
The advisory issued by the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv on Tuesday had urged Indian nationals in Israel to stay vigilant and adhere to safety protocols issued by local authorities in “view of the prevailing situation in the region”.
It further said, “Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within the country and stay close to safety shelters.” The Indian embassy in Israel is closely monitoring the situation and in regular touch with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all Indians.
There are more than 20,000 Indians in Israel, and the number has swelled in recent months as Tel Aviv has stepped up the employment of Indian construction workers to replace Palestinian nationals.
Fears of a regional war have grown since Iran launched close to 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening. Alarms sounded as the missiles fell on major cities and towns. However, most of the projectiles were shot down by the Israeli and US militaries.
The Israeli army said a “few” hits were recorded in the central and southern parts of the country, while the emergency service said two people were injured from falling shrapnel in the Tel Aviv area.
The IRGC said its attack was aimed at three military bases located near Tel Aviv. The missile strikes were accompanied by a large-scale cyber-attack, and Iran fired its new Fatah hypersonic ballistic missiles for the first time, according to Iranian state-run media.
The IRGC also said the missile attack was retaliation for the assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan, who were killed in Lebanon, as well as the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to respond to the Iranian attack.
India, which describes West Asia as part of the country’s extended neighbourhood, has watched the escalation in tensions with growing concern since the region is home to millions of Indians and a key source of energy. The Indian side also has close and strategic ties with Israel, Iran and key West Asian powers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On Tuesday, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said India is “very much” concerned about the possibility of a regional war in West Asia and “any response by any country” must take into account international humanitarian law.
Speaking on the situation in West Asia at the Carnegie Endowment Centre for International Peace in the US, he reiterated India’s position that the October 7 assault on Israel by Hamas was a “terrorist attack”.
“We understand that Israel had a need to respond, but we also believe that any response by any country has to take into account international humanitarian law, that it must be careful about any damage or any implications for civilian populations,” Jaishankar said.
He said India is concerned all developments in West Asia, including the situation in Lebanon, the activities of Houthi militants in the Red Sea, and “to some extent, everything that happens between Iran and Israel”.
