A special flight carrying Indian nationals stranded in Doha arrived in New Delhi on Friday, March 13, 2026. The evacuation comes amid prevailing security tensions in West Asia, which disrupted regular commercial airline operations. Arriving passengers expressed relief and thanked the Qatar authorities and the Indian government for their swift support during the ongoing situation. Over the past few days, more than 1,000 Indians have been safely brought back via Qatar Airways special operations.
What are the emergency measures and travel options for Indians?
The Indian Embassy in Doha is operating seven days a week to help citizens with urgent passport renewals. They are issuing Tatkal emergency passports within one to two days to ensure no one faces travel delays due to missing documents. Qatar Airways has also relaxed its ticket rules, allowing passengers to change travel dates or claim full refunds until March 22, 2026. For those looking for alternative routes, the embassy is arranging 96-hour transit visas. This allows Indians to safely cross the Salwa land border into Saudi Arabia and catch flights to India from Saudi airports.
How are authorities ensuring safety on the ground?
Passengers returning to India praised the Qatar National Warning System for its timely mobile alerts. Residents receive immediate emergency messages instructing them to stay indoors during missile interceptions to avoid falling debris. People are advised to remain inside until a follow-up alert confirms the situation is normal. Authorities have issued strict warnings not to touch any unidentified objects or fragments and to report them by dialing 999. Community organizations like the Indian Cultural Centre are also running dedicated helpdesks to assist the 8.3 lakh Indians currently living and working in Qatar.
Are commercial flights and regular activities affected?
Normal commercial flights remain suspended, and airlines are only operating special flights through restricted operating corridors provided by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. More special flights to Delhi and Mumbai are scheduled, with additional flights planned based on the local security conditions. The regional tensions have also directly impacted Indian students residing in the Gulf. CBSE Class 12 board exams, which were supposed to be held between March 9 and 11 in the West Asia region, have been officially postponed until further notice.
