Indian airline IndiGo has extended the cancellation of its flights to Saudi Arabia amid security concerns in the region, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed on Friday.
The latest extension of flight cancellations comes after an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday killed an Indian national and injured two others. The flight disruptions come amid escalating drone and missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s airports, energy installations and other critical infrastructure, with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis having been involved in a prolonged campaign against the country. Another Indian national was injured in a separate attack at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield on the same day. The flight disruptions have also affected Indian Umrah pilgrims, prompting the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to coordinate with airlines and tour operators to facilitate their early return. They are also issuing regular advisories in view of the prevailing security situation. The embassy has urged Indian nationals to remain alert, follow instructions issued by Saudi authorities and move to a safe place inside a building in the event of an aerial attack.
Air India and Air India Express have suspended flights until October 24 on all routes. Meanwhile, Akasa Air has extended the suspension of flights to and from Jeddah until and including November 10 and Riyadh until and including November 30. The missions, supported by community volunteers, are providing welfare assistance and have established 24-hour control rooms to help Indian nationals. An earlier attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 killed an Indian national and injured several others, prompting the Indian Embassy to issue safety advisories for the Indian community.
“IndiGo flights to and from Riyadh will remain cancelled until 31 October 2026 (inclusive), while flights to and from Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah will remain cancelled until 27 October 2026 (inclusive),” the mission said in a post on X. “Indian nationals requiring urgent departure may consider transiting via Bahrain, Kuwait, or Qatar, subject to obtaining the necessary visas,” the Indian mission said earlier. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah were engaging with airlines and tour operators to arrange the return of the remaining affected pilgrims at the earliest.
Other Indian carriers have also earlier extended similar suspensions of flights to and from Saudi Arabia.
It has also warned them against filming or sharing images and videos of interceptions or impact sites, citing possible legal consequences under Saudi law. Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 2.74 million Indian nationals, who work across various sectors and form an important link between the two countries. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Earlier reporting noted: An earlier attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 killed an Indian national and injured several others, prompting the Indian Embassy to issue safety advisories for the Indian community.
