New Delhi: Ten seafarers are among 16 Indian nationals killed in the Gulf region since the start of the Middle East conflict on February 28, the Government informed Parliament.
Union minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh detailed that the fatalities include 8 in Oman, 4 in the UAE, 2 in Kuwait, 1 in Saudi Arabia, and 1 in Iraq, in response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, on the safety and status of citizens amid the ongoing crisis in the region, regarding casualties, compensation, and diplomatic actions.
Singh also said that 75 Indians were injured across the region, 32 of them in the UAE, 24 in Oman, 13 in Kuwait, 4 in Qatar, and one each in Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Twelve Indian nationals also lost their lives in an unrelated accident at the Ras Laffan Gas Facility in Qatar, the minister said, as reported by ANI.
He also spoke on how the Indian Embassy in Tehran facilitated the cross-border movement of 2,557 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel.
Continuous support has been extended to affected families, the Government said on the issue of rescue operations and consular assistance.
“The injured Indian nationals received medical treatment in local hospitals. Indian Embassies and Consulates coordinated with the local authorities and the hospitals for regular updates on the health condition and extended all required assistance, viz., establishing contact with the family members, guidance on available travel options and their safe return to India, etc,” Singh said.
Regarding the breakdown of financial compensation, the minister stated that for war-zone incidents involving seafarers, an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh is provisioned under the DGMA Welfare Scheme (Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Society – SWFS).
Following due diligence and verification, the amount is disbursed expeditiously to the next of kin, the Government said.
Additional compensation provisions apply under Collective Bargaining Agreements, including Rs 12 lakh for officers through the Maritime Union of India and Rs 10 lakh for crew through the National Union of Seafarers of India.
“With regard to compensation payable under the vessel’s Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Insurance Cover, the concerned Recruitment and Placement Service Licensee is primarily responsible for pursuing the claim (if applied) with the P&I Club/Insurer. The compensation related to the death of seafarers is being coordinated by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways,” the minister said, adding that payouts have already been disbursed in 5 out of the 16 cases.
The families affected by the Qatar gas facility incident received an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each under the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, though the Government noted it does not track direct compensation paid independently by Qatari authorities.
Through close coordination with local authorities and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, diplomatic missions facilitated travel via commercial flights, non-scheduled operations, and transit visas through adjacent nations where airspaces were restricted, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted.
The government deploys a structured, multi-layered mechanism consisting of regular advisories, round-the-clock control rooms, and emergency helplines to manage regional security crises, Singh said.
The Rapid Response Cell of the MEA coordinates execution alongside armed forces and ministries, with the ministry also finalising trials for a new digital emergency response solution tailored for future evacuation operations, he added.