"Do Not Panic": Indian Envoy Issues Message Amid Attacks In Saudi Arabia

Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Vipul on Thursday urged Indian nationals in the country to remain calm, follow instructions issued by local authorities and stay indoors during aerial attacks, while highlighting flight disruptions and assuring assistance to Indians affected by the recent attacks.In a video message to the Indian community shared on the official X handle of the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Vipul said India had condemned attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the country's people and leadership.▶️ सऊदी अरब में रह रहे भारतीय समुदाय के लिए राजदूत का संदेश | ▶️ Ambassador's message to the Indian Community residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. https://t.co/cC67eM0ue3— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) October 15, 2026"As you would have seen, India has condemned the attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. We stand in complete solidarity with the people and leadership of Saudi Arabia. We also express condolences to the families of people who have lost their lives in these attacks, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured," he said.Vipul said one Indian national was killed and 11 others were injured in the attack on Riyadh airport on October 10. He added that he and embassy officials were in contact with the bereaved family, while the mission was coordinating with hospital authorities and the families of the injured to assist."There were also 11 other Indians who were injured in the attack, and we are again in touch with the hospital authorities as well as the families to provide all help to them," he said.Addressing flight disruptions, the Ambassador said Riyadh airport remained closed and Indian carriers had suspended their operations, while Saudi airlines Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal were operating at the time of his message. He advised passengers to consider available flights through neighbouring Gulf countries"This has caused some inconvenience to our Umrah pilgrims. To address this, we have set up helplines; the contact numbers for these are available on our social media channels," he said, advising people planning to travel from India to Saudi Arabia to anticipate possible disruptions.In a post on X, the Embassy of India in Riyadh, in an advisory issued on Thursday, said the flight operations remained suspended at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while operations at Dammam, Jeddah and Medina airports continued with some disruptions. It said Indian carriers had suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia until Saturday, while Saudia continued scheduled services from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina.UPDATE/ADVISORY 15 October 2026, 1730 hrs Local Time ➡️ In continuation of our earlier advisories, Indian nationals planning to undertake Umrah pilgrimage in the coming days are advised to take into account the ongoing disruptions to flight operations between India and Saudi Arabia, particularly through Jeddah and Madinah. Those facing uncertainty regarding their travel arrangements may consider reviewing their travel plans to avoid inconvenience arising from possible cancellations or an extended stay. ➡️ For Indian nationals already affected by flight cancellations: Those contacting the Consulate's Control Rooms for assistance are requested to keep the following information readily available to facilitate necessary coordination and assistance: 1. Full name, passport number, and visa number (where applicable) 2. Name and contact details of the Saudi Umrah service provider company 3. Name and contact details of the Indian tour operator/travel agency 4. Airline, scheduled flight date and booking reference 5. If part of a passenger/pilgrim group, total number of affected nationals in the group, current location in Saudi Arabia, and name and contact number of the group leader/coordinator. ➡️ The Consulate's Control Rooms in Jeddah and Makkah remain operational to assist affected Indian nationals. ➡️ Personal details should be shared only through the Consulate's official assistance channels and not in public comments on social media. @MEAIndia @IndianEmbRiyadh— India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) October 15, 2026The embassy also advised Indians requiring urgent departure to consider flights from neighbouring countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, while noting that travellers would be responsible for obtaining the necessary visas.Urging Indians to exercise caution, Vipul said, "In the current situation, it is important for everyone to remain calm and alert; in the event of an aerial attack, please ensure you stay indoors--do not remain outside."He also warned the community against recording or circulating footage of attacks."Additionally, please refrain from taking or sharing photos or videos of any attacks within the Indian community, as this is a violation of Saudi law and could lead to legal trouble for you," he said.The embassy's Thursday advisory similarly cautioned that filming, publishing or sharing information related to missile and drone interceptions and their impact sites could expose individuals to legal liability under local rules.Vipul said the embassy and consulate remained operational, with passport and attestation services continuing to function."Above all, please stay calm and do not panic. For those of us living in Saudi Arabia, please note that offices remain open and all services are fully operational. Our embassy and consulate are functioning, and our outsourced service provider is also active, ensuring that there are no difficulties in obtaining passport or attestation services. Please remain calm, stay connected, and feel free to use our helplines to reach out to us," he added.Separately, the Indian Embassy said Akasa Air had extended the suspension of flights to and from Riyadh until October 24 and Jeddah until October 21, while another travel alert for IndiGo listed cancellations to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina until October 24, inclusive.The embassy urged Indian nationals to continue following instructions issued by Saudi authorities and remain alert amid the prevailing situation. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)