Remain calm, stay indoors during aerial attacks: Indian envoy to community in Saudi Arabia

Indians living in Saudi Arabia have been urged to remain calm and alert and stay indoors in case of an aerial attack, with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh saying on Thursday that Saudi carriers continue to operate flights to India even as Air India and IndiGo have cancelled services from the Islamic Kingdom.

In a video message to the Indian community in the wake of the recent attacks, India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Vipul, said India had condemned the attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure in the country.

"We stand in complete solidarity with the people and leadership of Saudi Arabia. We also express condolences to the families of the people who have lost their lives in these attacks, and we wish speedy recovery to those who were injured," Ambassador Vipul said.

He added that the Embassy remained in touch with the family of the Indian national who lost his life in the October 10 attack on Riyadh airport, as well as with the hospital authorities and families of the 11 Indians who were injured.

With Riyadh airport closed, the Ambassador said flights by Indian carriers Air India and IndiGo had been cancelled from the entire Kingdom, but those of Saudia, flynas and flyadeal were still operating to India, while people could also travel via neighbouring Gulf countries.

He said the Embassy had started helplines for Umrah pilgrims who had faced inconvenience, and asked those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia from India to keep possible disruptions in mind.

"In the current situation, all of us have to remain calm and alert. Especially in case of an aerial attack, we have to remain indoors," Ambassador Vipul said, adding that sharing any photo or video of the attacks was against Saudi law and could cause problems.

On Wednesday, India reiterated its condemnation of attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, terming them as "unacceptable" while expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia in defence of its sovereignty.

Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that some of the people travelling between India and Saudi Arabia have been affected by the disruption in flight operations after the attack on airports in Saudi Arabia.

Indo-Asian News Service