An Indian national was killed in missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s capital, the external affairs ministry announced on Friday. This raises the total number of Indian fatalities in the West Asia conflict to six, as New Delhi keeps implementing measures to protect 10 million citizens in the region. FILE PHOTO: Clouds drift over the Riyadh skyline. (REUTERS). An Indian national died in Riyadh on Wednesday, marking the first reported Indian death in Saudi Arabia. On February 13, two Indians lost their lives in an assault on an industrial zone in Oman, three seafarers perished in strikes on merchant ships amid the conflict days, and another citizen was listed as missing. “Late [on Thursday] night, we learned of the tragic death of an Indian national in an attack in Riyadh on March 18.” “We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” Aseem Mahajan, secretary (Gulf) in the external affairs ministry, said during a media briefing. The Indian embassy in Riyadh is communicating with his family and working with local authorities to facilitate the prompt repatriation of the body, Mahajan added. Additional details were unavailable, and sources close to the situation indicated that the Indian national died in Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Riyadh. Dozens of Indians, such as workers and seafarers, have sustained injuries in strikes across multiple Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Iraq. The Indian government has prioritized the safety and security of 10 million Indian nationals residing in West Asian countries through its recent outreach to the leadership of these states. Mahajan stated that 15 Indian crew members from the US-owned oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, recently attacked near Basra, Iraq, are scheduled to return home via Saudi Arabia. Another Indian crew member from the same ship was killed, and Mahajan stated that arrangements are underway to bring his body back to India. Since the conflict started on February 28, around 300,000 people have returned to India from West Asia. On Friday, UAE airlines ran 90 flights to India, with additional flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia.
