Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Bahrain King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to rage. During his talks with the two leaders, the prime minister condemned the Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and discussed the well being of Indian community in both the countries.
"Had a productive telephone conversation with the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. India condemns the attacks on Bahrain and stands in solidarity with its people in this difficult hour. I thank him for the steadfast support extended to the Indian community in Bahrain," PM Modi posted on X.
"Discussed the evolving situation in West Asia with Crown Prince and PM of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman. India condemns the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia in violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said in another post.
PM Modi has been regularly staying in touch with leaders of Gulf nations since the onset of the conflict between the United States (US), Israel and Iran. On Sunday, he had held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated India's call for early cessation of all hostilities in the region.
Apart from Netanyahu, he also spoke with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf countries and calling for a de-escalation in the region. He had also thanked Al Nahyan for taking care of the Indian community in the UAE.
The prime minister has also chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the situation. The CCS meeting was held on Sunday night, which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri ad others.
During the meeting, the focus was on ensuring the safety of the Indian community in the Gulf. "The CCS directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments. It underscored the importance of an early cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy," the government said in a statement.
So far, an Indian national has lost his life due to the hostilities in the Gulf. According to news agency PTI, the Indian national was killed after an oil tanker was hit by an explosive-laden unmanned boat off the coast of Muscat Governorate. The oil tanker had a crew of 21 people, including 16 Indians, four Bangladeshis and a Ukrainian national. They were later evacuated by Oman's government and provided assistance.
