The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has issued an urgent safety advisory asking all Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow updated emergency directives from Saudi authorities, as drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels keep the Gulf kingdom on edge. The advisory, shared through the embassy's social media channels on October 18, 2026, applies to anyone receiving emergency alerts through Saudi Arabia's National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies.
What the advisory says
The instructions ask people to remain calm, follow official directions and immediately move to the nearest safe place inside a building — preferably an interior room away from windows — and stay there until the danger has passed. People have been told not to leave their homes or buildings during an alert, to stay away from open areas, windows and glass, and to avoid standing on balconies or rooftops.
Those outdoors when an alert arrives should enter the nearest building or take shelter behind a solid barrier. The directives also advise people to avoid crowds and dangerous areas, refrain from taking photographs of security incidents, and pull over to the side of the road — away from bridges and high-rise buildings — if driving when an alert is received. In case of any threat or danger, the emergency number is 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 998 in the rest of Saudi Arabia. Nationals have been asked to follow instructions from the competent authorities through official channels only.
Why the advisory was issued now
The advisory comes amid heightened security concerns following a series of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, including a deadly strike near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on October 10. That attack killed an Indian national and injured several others, including 11 Indian nationals who were hurt in the blast, according to India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Vipul.
The latest guidance follows an earlier appeal issued immediately after the October 10 strike, in which the embassy had asked Indian nationals to follow local authorities' instructions, stay indoors during aerial attacks, and refrain from filming, publishing or sharing information, photographs or videos related to the ongoing events. India has condemned the attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the country's leadership and people.
Flights disrupted, helplines open
The security situation has also disrupted air travel. With Riyadh airport closed at the time of the advisory, Indian carriers Air India and IndiGo suspended operations from Saudi Arabia, while Saudi airlines Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal continued operating flights to India. Ambassador Vipul, in a video message to the Indian community, said the embassy remained in contact with the family of the Indian national killed in the October 10 attack and was coordinating with hospital authorities and the families of the 11 injured Indians to provide assistance. The embassy has also set up helplines for Umrah pilgrims facing inconvenience because of the flight disruptions.
The takeaway is simple: for the large Indian community living and working in Saudi Arabia, vigilance and obedience to official emergency instructions are the best protection. The embassy's message is to stay indoors when alerts sound, stay off balconies and away from windows, never photograph security incidents — which can violate Saudi law — and rely on official channels for updates.
Watch: Dainik Jagran's video report on the Indian Embassy's fresh security advisory for Indians in Saudi Arabia, covering the indoor-safety instructions, suspended Air India and IndiGo flights, and India's solidarity statement at the UN Security Council.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Lightless Dawn (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: The Hindu's report on the embassy's October 18 advisory, The Economic Times on the emergency instructions and numbers, The Tribune on Ambassador Vipul's video message, Hindustan Times on the advisory background.