Relief as Indians Return from Gulf Amid Middle East Crisis

Emotional scenes unfolded at several Indian airports on March 3 as passengers returning from Gulf countries reunited with their families after days of uncertainty caused by the escalating Middle East crisis.

Many travellers described a tense atmosphere but expressed relief at finally reaching home. “The situation is tense, but overall it is stable,” said Mr Praveen Kakkar, who arrived in Indore from Dubai, praising the United Arab Emirates authorities for managing the situation effectively.

Mr Sunil Gupta, who landed in New Delhi, said global developments had made him anxious. “All I wanted was to somehow return home and be with my family,” he said.

Malayalam and Tamil actress Swasika also returned to Kochi after being stranded in Dubai for four days. She said there was fear but no widespread panic, and basic facilities remained available.

The Indian government said it is closely monitoring the airspace situation in West Asia. The Civil Aviation Ministry announced that Indian carriers would operate 58 flights on March 4, including special services to bring stranded passengers home while avoiding restricted airspace.