Web Desk/AFP

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s government on Monday advised all its citizens in Iran to leave the country immediately, citing a worsening security situation, according to the Indian Embassy in Tehran. The advisory covers students, pilgrims, business travelers, and tourists in Iran. The embassy in Tehran recommended departure by any available means, including commercial flights. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/hVDwTTdhja" style="font-size: 18px;">pic.twitter.com/hVDwTTdhja</a>&mdash; India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) <a href="https://twitter.com/India_in_Iran/status/2025823016672710921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="font-size: 18px;">February 23, 2026</a></blockquote></div> The advisory asked citizens to carry passports and identification, avoid protest areas, monitor local media, and stay in contact with the embassy for assistance.&nbsp;Emergency helplines were provided for immediate support. The warning comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s visit to Israel on Wednesday.&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Modi&rsquo;s trip would help build a new partnership to counter what he called &ldquo;radical&rdquo; threats. Modi first visited Israel in 2017, and Netanyahu visited India the following year.&nbsp;Modi said on Sunday that he looks forward to talks during the visit. &ldquo;India values its long-standing friendship with Israel, based on trust, innovation, and a shared commitment to peace and progress,&rdquo; he wrote on social media.&nbsp; India has expanded cooperation with Israel in defense, agriculture, technology, and security. US-Iran talks The move follows rising regional tensions and ongoing indirect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iranus-talks-expected-thursday-despite-fears-of-strikes" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US-Iran negotiations</a>. Talks are scheduled to resume in Geneva on Feb. 26, 2026. Oman&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi will act as mediator, according to the Omani Foreign Ministry. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that &ldquo;guiding principles&rdquo; had been agreed upon, though technical details remain unresolved, AFP reported. US officials confirmed that progress was made but many issues are still under discussion, as per the US Department of State. Relations sour Relations between Iran and India have soured in recent months, with tensions increasing after India seized three Iranian-linked oil tankers on Feb. 17, 2026, enforcing US sanctions. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the move as a &ldquo;serious concern&rdquo; for trade and energy cooperation, as per official statements. The Chabahar Port project, a key trade route, faces uncertainty amid US sanctions. India holds a conditional waiver from the US Treasury valid until April 26, 2026, as per the Indian&nbsp;Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. India has transferred $120 million for port equipment, while a $250 million credit line remains unfulfilled due to sanctions, according to the MEA. Iranian authorities also detained 16 Indian seafarers aboard the MT Valiant Roar since Dec. 8, 2025, over alleged diesel smuggling, according to the MEA.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/crash-pakistan-airspace-ban-push-air-india-toward-16-billion-annual-loss" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Indian airline</a>&nbsp;carriers, including IndiGo, have suspended flights over Iranian airspace and nearby hubs until at least Feb. 28, 2026, citing security risks.

India advised all citizens in Iran to leave immediately, recommending any available transport including commercial flights. (Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA)

Asia

Middle East

Indian nationals in Iran are advised to leave immediately with the embassy in Tehran urging nationals to carry travel documents, avoid protests, and stay updated on local media.

India advises citizens to leave Iran over security concerns

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s largest airline, IndiGo, is enduring what local media describe as its &ldquo;worst-ever operational crisis,&rdquo; with more than 4,500 flights canceled over the past week and no clear resolution in sight, according to multiple Indian news reports. The turmoil began on Tuesday and has now stretched into a seventh consecutive day, crippling operations at major airports nationwide. One report said the situation &ldquo;spiraled quickly,&rdquo; with cancellations rising sharply each day. According to the reports, the crisis escalated rapidly over the week. It began on Dec 2 with more than 150 flights canceled, followed by nearly 200 cancellations on the following day as IndiGo&rsquo;s on-time performance plunged to just 19.7%. On Dec 4, the situation had worsened with over 300 flights canceled, including several international services. Friday marked the airline&rsquo;s largest single-day collapse, with around 1,600 flights grounded. The disruptions continued through the weekend, with roughly 850 flights canceled on Saturday and another 650 on Sunday. By Monday, the turmoil showed no sign of easing, as airports in Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru reported hundreds more cancellations. Piles of luggageIndian media reports described chaotic scenes at major aviation hubs, particularly Delhi&rsquo;s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Bengaluru&rsquo;s Kempegowda Airport, where overcrowded terminals left passengers scrambling to rebook flights or retrieve belongings. At Delhi&rsquo;s Terminal 1, IndiGo&rsquo;s biggest hub, &ldquo;unclaimed baggage piled up,&rdquo; one report said, with passengers &ldquo;forced to sift through rows of suitcases&rdquo; in hopes of finding their bags. In a sharp escalation, India&rsquo;s aviation regulator issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, citing widespread operational failures. According to another Indian media report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the disruptions reflected &ldquo;significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management,&rdquo; particularly in relation to new rules on pilot duty hours. The DGCA investigation reportedly found that IndiGo &ldquo;failed to make adequate staffing adjustments&rdquo; to comply with new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), which expanded mandatory rest periods and reduced night-time landing allowances, changes that contributed to a pilot shortage and deepened the crisis. The regulator warned that IndiGo could face further action if it does not address the issues &ldquo;comprehensively,&rdquo; according to the reports. India&rsquo;s aviation oversightThe continuing meltdown has fueled renewed criticism of India&rsquo;s aviation oversight apparatus, which observers say has been slow to anticipate the cascading impact of FDTL changes, despite clear early signs of strain on pilot schedules. Analysts quoted in local coverage said the crisis reflects broader structural weaknesses in India&rsquo;s aviation governance, from regulatory planning gaps to chronic understaffing at major airports, raising questions about how the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing aviation market is being managed. Flights, finances collapseIndiGo has attempted to compensate passengers by issuing automatic refunds, waiving cancellation fees, and returning thousands of pieces of lost baggage. As of the weekend, the airline had processed $67.66 million in refunds and reunited passengers with more than 3,000 bags, according to the reports. Still, the carrier admits the crisis is far from over. IndiGo cited a &ldquo;complex mix of factors,&rdquo; including technology glitches, winter schedule changes, and the effects of Cyclone Ditwah. The airline nonetheless expressed hope that operations would stabilize by December 10, Indian media said. With uncertainty lingering at India&rsquo;s busiest airports, IndiGo&rsquo;s share price dropped as much as 7.56% to INR 4,965.05 ($55.06) on the Bombay Stock Exchange, even as the broader Sensex fell 0.40%, according to the reports.

India

With over 4,500 flights canceled, IndiGo faces its worst operational crisis, stranding passengers nationwide, triggering regulatory scrutiny, and causing the airline’s shares to plunge sharply on the BSE.

Articles tagged with "Indian airline"

India advises citizens to leave Iran over security concerns

IndiGo hits seventh day of cancellations as Indian authorities face scrutiny

India advises citizens to leave Iran over security concerns