Indian Carriers Restart Riyadh Flights After West Asia Conflict Disruptions

Last Updated:March 12, 2026, 22:15 IST

Flights between India and Riyadh resumed on March 12. Air India, IndiGo, and Air India Express are operating, bringing relief to passengers.

In a major relief to the air travellers, the flight operations between India and Riyadh restarted on Thursday after disruptions due to developments in West Asia. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it is closely monitoring the regional situation and its possible impact on aviation while airlines gradually bring services back to normal.

Indian carriers resumed flights on the India–Riyadh route from March 12. The corridor is widely used by Indian workers, business travellers and families living in Saudi Arabia. The return of flights has brought relief to many passengers who faced uncertainty over travel plans in recent days.

On the first day of resumed operations, three flights are scheduled to operate between Riyadh and Mumbai. These services are being run by Air India and IndiGo.

In addition, Air India Express is operating one flight between Riyadh and Calicut. The services help restore direct connectivity between the Saudi capital and major Indian cities that have large expatriate communities.

The resumption comes at a time when travel demand between India and Gulf countries remains high. According to data from the aviation ministry, around 1,50,457 passengers travelled from Gulf countries to India between February 28 and March 11.

Airlines have continued to operate flights from several key Gulf cities to maintain connectivity for travellers heading to India for work, family visits or other commitments.

For March 12 alone, Indian carriers have scheduled 57 inbound flights from different cities in West Asia. These include Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Jeddah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah.

Many of these flights are expected to arrive at major Indian airports such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Hyderabad and Kozhikode, which serve as important gateways for passengers travelling from the Gulf region.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it is coordinating with airlines and other stakeholders to ensure smooth travel arrangements. Officials are also monitoring airfares to make sure ticket prices remain reasonable and do not rise sharply during this period.

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