- 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have lost their lives in West Asia since the outbreak of the conflict in the region earlier this year.
- Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated this in response to a query from CPI(M) MP John Brittas in the Rajya Sabha.
- 75 Indians have been injured since the outbreak of the conflict, with injuries reported in various countries: 32 in UAE, 24 in Oman, 4 in Qatar, 13 in Kuwait, 1 in Saudi Arabia, and 1 in Israel.
- The government, in coordination with the host governments, has extended all possible assistance to the families of the deceased Indian nationals for early repatriation of the mortal remains to India.
- In all cases involving war-zone incidents, under the DGMA Welfare Scheme, an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh is provided.
- The compensation amount is disbursed by the government expeditiously to the next of kin of the affected seafarers following due diligence and verification.
Sixteen Indian nationals, including ten seafarers, have died since the conflict in the Middle East erupted this year, with 75 others injured across various countries. The fatalities include one in Saudi Arabia, two in Kuwait, eight in Oman, one in Iraq, and four in the UAE.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh confirmed these figures in Parliament, responding to a query from CPI(M) MP John Brittas.2
The injured include 32 in the UAE, 24 in Oman, four in Qatar, 13 in Kuwait, one in Saudi Arabia, and one in Israel.3
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the government is coordinating with host nations to assist the families of the deceased for the repatriation of remains.
Under the DGMA Welfare Scheme, an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh is provided for war-zone incidents, with additional compensation available for seafarers under Collective Bargaining Agreements, amounting to ₹12 lakh for officers and ₹10 lakh for crew members.5
The government ensures that compensation is disbursed promptly to the next of kin following due diligence and verification.
“The government reported that 75 Indians have been injured in the conflict, with injuries distributed across several countries: 32 in UAE, 24 in Oman, and others in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. Additionally, the government is providing ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh to the families of the deceased under the DGMA Welfare Scheme.”
