India Issues UAE Travel Advisory Amid Iran War; CBSE Cancels Class X Exams, Postpones Class XII Tests Across Gulf
The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi on March 5 advised Indian nationals in the United Arab Emirates to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel as the widening war involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues to disrupt regional airspace and civilian movement across the Gulf.
In an official advisory issued from Abu Dhabi, the embassy urged Indians in the UAE to remain calm, follow safety guidelines issued by Emirati authorities and monitor official updates.
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| File Photo: IndiainUAE |
However, the embassy said Indian and UAE airlines have begun limited non-scheduled flights to multiple destinations in India, coordinated with UAE authorities and subject to operational and safety approvals. Stranded Indian nationals have been asked to contact airlines directly to access these flights.
The advisory also noted that the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has announced a waiver of overstay fines for visitors whose visas expired after February 28 but who are unable to leave the country due to travel disruptions.
India’s embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai said they remain in close contact with UAE authorities and community representatives to monitor the safety of the large Indian diaspora in the Gulf. Emergency helplines and email contacts have also been activated for citizens requiring assistance.
The developments come as the Central Board of Secondary Education announced major changes to board examinations for students in the Middle East due to the same security situation.
In a circular issued on March 5, CBSE said it had cancelled all remaining Class X board examinations scheduled between March 7 and March 11 in affiliated schools across Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Previously postponed exams conducted on March 2, March 5 and March 6 will also stand cancelled.
For Class XII students, the exam scheduled for March 7 has been postponed, with revised dates to be announced later. The board said it will review the regional security situation on March 7 before issuing directions regarding exams planned from March 9 onward.
CBSE advised affected students to remain in close contact with their schools and follow official announcements regarding revised schedules and result declarations.
The travel disruptions and education measures once again show the growing civilian impact of the United States–Israel war against Iran, which has expanded rapidly across multiple theatres since late February.
Airspace closures, missile exchanges and military deployments have affected several parts of the Middle East, and forced airlines to suspend routes and governments to arrange evacuation flights for citizens stranded in the region.
The war has also spread beyond the Persian Gulf. This week an Iranian naval frigate was sunk in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, and drew attention to the widening geographic footprint of the confrontation and raised concerns about the security of shipping lanes linking Asia and the Middle East.
Fighting and military activity have now affected locations from Lebanon and Iraq to the waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint through which a large share of global oil shipments pass.
With missile attacks, naval incidents and expanding military deployments continuing across the region, governments across Asia, Europe and the Middle East have begun issuing advisories, suspending flights and preparing contingency plans as the conflict threatens to widen further.