India’s two largest private carriers IndiGo and Air India suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East on Saturday after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran.
“In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended,” Air India said in a statement posted on X.
IndiGo said it was also suspending flights temporarily in view of the safety and security of customers and crew.
“Our teams are continuously monitoring the evolving situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible,” the carrier said on X.
New Delhi has historically balanced its ties with Israel while engaging widely with other Gulf nations, home to millions of Indian migrants.
The region is also a critical source of energy for the world’s fastest growing major economy.
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on February 28, 2026 and verified by AFPTV teams in Paris shows people inspecting the damage at an impact site following US and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking fears of regional war with explosions reported across the Middle East as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles. (Photo by various sources / AFP)
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on February 28, 2026 and verified by AFPTV teams in Paris shows people inspecting the damage at an impact site following US and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking fears of regional war with explosions reported across the Middle East as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles. (Photo by various sources / AFP)
The strikes on Iran come just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home after a landmark visit to Israel, where the two sides took steps at deepening trade and defence ties.
The right-wing Hindu nationalist premier also addressed Israeli lawmakers and said New Delhi stands “firmly” with Israel following Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7, 2023.
People take shelter in a underground parking as sirens sound in Jerusalem on February 28, 2026. The United States and Israel launched a wave of strikes against targets in Iranian cities on February 28, triggering explosions and columns of smoke in the capital Tehran. Iran responded by launching retaliatory missile attacks, according to the Israeli military, as US diplomats in the Gulf and Israeli civilians were ordered to seek shelter. (Photo by John WESSELS / AFP)
Motorists make their way along a street in central Tehran on February 28, 2026. Iran said on on February 28 it will “respond decisively” after Israel and the United States launched strikes on the country despite talks underway on Tehran’s nuclear programme. (Photo by AFP)
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on February 28, 2026, and verified by AFPTV teams in Paris, shows a plume of smoke rising over Manama following several explosions in Bahrain’s capital. A centre for the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain has been hit in a “missile attack”, Bahrain said on February 28, as Iran vowed retaliation following US and Israeli strikes. (Photo by various sources / AFP)
India, the world’s most populous nation with 1.4 billion people, is majority Hindu, but an estimated 220 million Indians are Muslim.
It also maintains strong relations with Tehran, including developing its Chabahar port — a trade gateway to Afghanistan, where New Delhi has built a relationship with Taliban authorities.
India’s foreign ministry estimates there are usually around 10,000 Indian citizens in Iran.
