India Confirms 22 Nationals Dead in West Asia Conflict, Including 14 Seafarers

India's external affairs ministry has confirmed that 22 Indian nationals have died in the ongoing West Asia conflict, including 14 seafarers, according to spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Jaiswal said three of these deaths occurred in Saudi Arabia, and that the government is staying in close contact with the Indian community across the Gulf region to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

The conflict began on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, with India repeatedly calling for the situation to be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Tensions have escalated further in recent days after Yemen-based Houthi rebels launched strikes on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the eight-month conflict. Saudi Arabia has also been targeted by Iran over its hosting of US military bases.

India has raised serious concerns over Houthi strikes on Saudi civilian infrastructure and economic assets, including an attack on a key oil pipeline, warning that such actions endanger regional stability and freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

Officials noted that the strait, a vital chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, has faced heightened risk alongside the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained under an effective Iranian blockade since March.