West Asia crisis: Assam govt scrambles for details on state residents amid flight chaos and escalating conflict

The Assam government is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to gather information on residents of the state who may be living in or stranded across West Asia amid the escalating conflict in the region, a senior state government official said on March 1. 

However, the state does not yet have concrete figures on the number of people from Assam currently residing in the affected areas.

Speaking to PTI on condition of anonymity, the official said the data-gathering process is ongoing. “We are constantly in contact with the MEA and are trying to gather information on people from Assam in West Asia. As of now, we are still in the process of compiling details and will share more information as and when it becomes available,” the official said.

People from Assam are employed across various sectors in West Asia, including aviation, hospitality, and business establishments, though no official or consolidated data is immediately available on their numbers.

The outreach comes in the wake of a major military escalation in the region after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed early Sunday, sharply intensifying regional tensions.

Following the strikes and Iran’s retaliatory actions, hundreds of flights have been disrupted across West Asia and several other countries, including India, due to widespread airspace restrictions. The situation has raised concerns over the safety and mobility of Indian nationals working in the region, prompting state and central authorities to closely monitor developments.