India urges nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow safety directives amid security concerns

The instructions, shared on social media, advise people to remain calm, follow official directions and immediately move to the nearest safe place inside a building, preferably an interior room away from windows, until the danger has passed. File | Photo Credit: AP The Indian Embassy in Riyadh on Sunday (October 18, 2026), urged Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow updated safety directives issued by the Saudi authorities for people receiving emergency alerts through the National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies, amid heightened security concerns following attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.The instructions, shared on social media, advise people to remain calm, follow official directions and immediately move to the nearest safe place inside a building, preferably an interior room away from windows, until the danger has passed.People have been advised not to leave their homes or buildings until the threat has passed, stay away from open areas, windows and glass, and avoid standing on balconies or rooftops.Those outdoors have been asked to enter the nearest building or take shelter behind a solid barrier. The instructions also advise people to avoid crowds and dangerous areas and refrain from taking photographs.People who receive an alert while driving have been advised to pull over to the side of the road, away from bridges and high-rise buildings.The directives state that people can call 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province in case of a threat or danger, and 998 in the rest of Saudi Arabia. They have also been asked to follow instructions issued by the competent authorities through official channels.The advisory comes amid heightened security concerns following drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, including a deadly strike near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on October 10.The attack killed an Indian national and injured several others, prompting the Indian Embassy to reiterate its safety advisory.The latest advisory follows an earlier appeal issued immediately after the October 10 strike, asking Indian nationals to follow local authorities' instructions, stay indoors in the event of an aerial attack, and refrain from filming, publishing or sharing information, photographs or videos related to the ongoing events. Published - October 18, 2026 02:45 pm IST