Thousands of Indians Stranded in West Asia as Iran-Israel Conflict Halts Air Travel
Neeru Garg, a college principal from Bathinda in Punjab, and her husband found themselves in a desperate situation in Dubai. Their return flight from Sharjah vanished from the schedule, forcing them to take a taxi to Dubai—only to arrive in a city under missile fire. "We have no money left and are running low on essential medicines," Garg said on Sunday from the home of an Indian doctor where they sought shelter. "We don't know where to go."
Widespread Disruption Across West Asia
Across West Asia, thousands of Indians—including tourists, expatriates, pilgrims, politicians, and families with children—have been left stranded. This crisis unfolded after US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered Iranian retaliation, leading to mass airspace closures and the shutdown of Dubai, the world's busiest transit hub. Garg recounted, "We were asked to leave the airport without any help."
The air travel disruptions have deepened the humanitarian crisis. Indian carriers cancelled approximately 350 flights on Sunday alone, while West Asia-based airlines scrubbed more than 1,600 services across their networks. Airports from Chennai and Jaipur to Mangaluru and Amritsar reported mass cancellations to key destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, and Jeddah.
Karnataka Residents Among the Stranded
In Karnataka, dozens of Kannadigas were marooned across Dubai after flights were grounded mid-journey. Among those affected were Congress MLAs NR Bharath Reddy and SR Srinivas, as well as JD(S) MLC SL Bhojegowda. Bhojegowda, who was traveling from Johannesburg to India via Dubai with his family, said the shutdown came without warning. "As soon as we reached Dubai airport, it was conveyed to us that all flights were grounded due to air strikes by Iran," he stated in a video message, adding that they were safe but stuck.
Other notable figures stranded include Karnataka election commissioner SG Sangreshi and Pushpa Amarnath, vice chairperson of the state guarantee schemes implementation committee. Amarnath, who was in Dubai for an award event, reported receiving repeated safety alerts. "We were advised not to stand near windows. Around 60 tourists from Karnataka are staying in my hotel. All flights cancelled," she said.
Financial and Logistical Struggles for Stranded Tourists
From Ballari district, a group of 50 tourists who flew to Dubai on February 24 found themselves stranded when their return flight on February 28 was cancelled as airstrikes began. Fifteen members of one family revealed they were denied entry at the airport and had exhausted the cash they were carrying. "Hotel rooms were costing Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 a night per person. We couldn't afford it and had no place to go," one relative explained. State MLAs later arranged accommodation for the group in service quarters near the airport.
Celebrities Also Caught in the Crisis
In Kolkata, actor Subhasree Ganguly's husband, film director and Trinamool MLA Raj Chakraborty, shared that she could hear missile blasts from her hotel in Dubai. Ganguly is stranded there with her son, and their return dates remain uncertain, highlighting the widespread impact of the conflict on individuals from all walks of life.
The situation remains fluid, with authorities and diplomatic missions working to assist the stranded Indians, but the scale of the disruption poses significant challenges for evacuation and support efforts.
